Five good causes to benefit from fifth year of Cayman Islands DG’s 5K Challenge

The Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge is celebrating its fifth anniversary by selecting five good causes to benefit from the 2018 event, which takes place in April.

To mark the five-year milestone, the walk/run will also be held in Little Cayman for the first time, in addition to Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman.

With a focus on food and well-being, the beneficiaries on Grand Cayman will be Cayman Islands Meals on Wheels, Feed Our Future, and the Kiwanis Club of Grand Cayman’s Buy a Kid Breakfast programme.

Proceeds from the Cayman Brac event are to be donated to the Kirkconnell Community Care Centre for meals, while money raised in Little Cayman will go towards a “grow box” at that island’s school.

“This year I want to concentrate on nutrition and well-being,” said Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, who personally leads the DG’s 5K Challenge. “Many of us take it for granted that we have three meals a day, while some people are not sure they will have even one. I believe that donating to these reputable organisations can really make a difference in the lives of many people in the Cayman Islands.”

Fund-raising towards the target of $60,000 has been given a jump start from platinum sponsor Appleby, which has pledged a $15,000 donation. As per last year, Davenport, Butterfield and EY Cayman have all also confirmed they will be $5,000 gold sponsors of the event.

“We are thankful to the Deputy Governor and his committee for selecting Meals on Wheels as a beneficiary of this prestigious event,” said Erin Bodden, general manager of Meals on Wheels. “Not only will this provide valuable funding for our programme, but we hope it will help bring awareness to a vulnerable portion of our population that is going hungry, every day, in the Cayman Islands.”

The Kiwanis Buy a Kid Breakfast programme, which is in eight primary schools, provides healthy breakfasts to children in need.

“We are grateful to the Deputy Governor for his support, which will make a significant contribution to our programme and mission to ensure no child is hungry when they start the school day,” said Nicola Murray, president of Kiwanis Club of Grand Cayman,

Stacey VanDevelde, chairwoman of Feed our Future, said they were proud to have the support of the DG’s 5K Challenge this year.

“Health is at the heart of our work and our belief that all children have a right to access the food they need to thrive,” she said. “Everyone has a role to play and, together, we can reach more children and empower them to live up to their full potential.”

The DG’s 5K Challenge brings together civil servants, private sector employees and members of the public in a fitness and fundraising challenge. It is part of Mr. Manderson’s vision to have a healthier, more active and more socially engaged civil service, while benefitting charitable organisations and initiatives in the Cayman Islands.

Last year the event raised $85,000 to build a ropes challenge course for the YMCA of the Cayman Islands and, in 2016, $60,000 was raised to help Cayman Heart Fund buy an ambulance, which was gifted to the Health Services Authority. In 2015, $50,000 was raised for Special Olympics Cayman Islands to help athletes attend the Special Olympic Games in Los Angeles the following summer. In 2014, the inaugural DG’s 5K Challenge raised $12,500 for Cayman HospiceCare towards its new building which is currently being built on West Bay Road.

The cash raised by the DG’s 5K Challenge is a combination of corporate sponsorship pledges and the registration fees of event participants.

Dates for the 2018 DG’s 5K Challenge are Cayman Brac, Sunday 15 April; Little Cayman, Sunday, 22 April and Grand Cayman, Sunday 29April.

Dates for participants to register on the CaymanActive active website www.caymanactive.com/dg5k will be announced nearer the time.

Companies interested in sponsoring the DG’s 5K Challenge, or anyone interested in making a donation, can contact Fundraising Subcommittee Chairwoman Nancy Barnard at [email protected].

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