By Sara Ballenger
When Stephanie Acosta-Mikulasek went to the El Camino branch of the YMCA , she just happened to see a flier for the “Third Annual Run For Zimbabwe Orphans” scheduled for April 14 at St. Joseph School in Mountain View. She thought it was fate.
Acosta-Mikulasek, a Mountain View resident, lived in Zimbabwe off and on from 1996 to 2000 and has been nominated for a diplomatic post there.
“I was thrilled to see that someone in this area was concerned about Zimbabwe,” she said.
That someone was St. Joseph’s physical education teacher Ellen Clark. Clark became inspired to make a difference for Zimbabwe orphans after visiting her son Will, who was teaching English in Zimbabwe in 1997.
During her visit, Clark saw a poor country ravaged by the AIDS virus. Zimbabwe has one of the highest AIDS rates in the world, with 1.5 million people infected. One quarter of those are adults, leaving 900,000 orphaned, according to Time magazine.
The Clarks wanted to make a difference in the lives of those orphans.
Ellen is an avid runner and it seemed only natural for her to organize a cross-country race to raise funds for the Makumbi Children’s Home in Zimbabwe. Last year’s event raised $8,715.
During the day of the run, Acosta-Mikulasek will provide a cultural display on Zimbabwe, highlighting crafts and music, as well as providing information on the country.
“I believe we have an obligation to teach our children something greater than our immediate community,” Acosta-Mikulasek said. “By learning about and understanding other parts of the world, they can better understand who they are,” she said.
Acosta-Mikulasek thinks there is a lot to be learned from the people of Zimbabwe.
“The people there are probably the most compassionate people for their children and for the love of their future and opportunities that are beholding them. They are humble people,” she said.
Clark added that the students who participate in the run also feel empowered by being able to do something for others.
“I think it’s really important for the kids to help kids,” she said. “Our kids feel a sense of purpose and feel connected. They really want to help.”
Acosta-Mikulasek hopes that the run will inspire people to be mindful of those in need.
“The bigger question is what can we do to have the best possible impact globally and all around us - to make the greatest difference we can,” she said.
St. Joseph School is located at 1120 Miramonte Ave., Mountain View. The run begins at 12:30 p.m., with a race for pre-kindergartners and kindergartners, and continues with races for fifth- through eighth-grade boys and girls, ending with a race for high-school students and adults at 3:30 p.m.
Ribbon awards will be presented to all participants; championship cups to the top three male and female finishers per race; and ribbons and a cup to the top teams in grades 1-8.
The registration fee is $5. Runners may register on the day of the event, from 11:30 a.m. until 20 minutes before their race; or by mail, postmarked by April 8, to Ellen Clark, 156 Marvin Ave., Los Altos 94022. For more information, call 941-9206.
