The Saint Mary’s cross country team hosted their second annual Alumnae 5k at the beginning of September to kick off the 2009 season. More than two dozen alumnae, staff, friends, and family of Saint Mary’s participated in the race while even more showed up to support those running.
Not only did the race serve as the start to the season, but it also was the start of a service project by the team that was inspired by senior Megan McClowry’s trip to Uganda this past summer. Following in the footsteps of former cross country runner and Alumnae 5k participant Caitlin Brodmerkel ’09, McClowry embarked on a six-week educational opportunity abroad in the College’s first Uganda summer study program. The program sent three nursing students and three education students to Kyarusozi, Uganda, to live with the Sisters of the Holy Cross who help operate a health clinic and school in the village.
McClowry woke up each morning in Uganda to go for a run. It was on these runs that the senior nursing major was inspired to do something more than just help in the health clinic for the six-week program.
“In Uganda, I was struck by the number of people, especially children, who would walk miles on dirt roads every day,” Megan said. “Every morning while I ran I would look forward to the point where children from a nearby school would run the rest of the way to their school with me. Although I had shoes, they did not. As a runner I know the importance of a good pair of shoes, and couldn't help but think how many old pairs of running shoes I had at home.”
From that experience, Megan came up with the idea of having a shoe drive. After consulting her coach Jackie Bauters ’04, the pair worked to incorporate the shoe drive into the team’s annual Alumnae 5k and beyond. The Alumnae 5k helped Megan and her teammates collect nearly 250 pairs of shoes.
As the drive expanded across campus with collection boxes in residence halls, classroom buildings, and Angela, it is estimated that 500 pairs of shoes have been donated. While the team has set their goal on keeping the shoe drive going until the middle of October, shoes will be accepted throughout the entire semester. For more information on the cross country team’s shoe drive, please click here.
