By Tim Seyfert

For Los Altos resident Ellen Clark, the road to helping children halfway around the world is a mile-long race course.

Since March 2000, Clark, a PE teacher at St. Joseph School in Mountain View, has been putting on “Run For Zimbabwe Orphans,” a one-mile run that raises funds for the Makumbi Children’s Home in Makumbi, Zimbabwe.

The orphanage serves as a haven for nearly 100 children of parents who have died from AIDS, in a nation where 30 percent of the population is currently HIV positive.

St. Joseph School, 1120 Miramonte Ave., will once again host the annual benefit run, beginning at 12:30 p.m. on March 30. Entry fees are $5. All proceeds go toward providing food, clothing, shelter and education for the orphaned children. People of all ages are invited to participate in the event, divided into groups ranging from pre-kindergarten through adult.

“It’s growing bigger every year,” Clark said. “It’s refreshing to see the community become more aware of this.”

Last year’s run saw more than 300 participants lacing up for the cause, raising more than $10,000. This year’s event is expected to top that, with nearly $9,000 already donated before race day, according to Clark.

Though primarily a fund-raiser, the event also aims to serve as an educational platform. Clark, whose son worked at a mission near the orphanage in 1997, hopes to promote awareness of the problems currently plaguing Zimbabwe.

“The AIDS epidemic over there is awful, and it’s getting worse so quickly,” Clark said. “Even if we only raised 10 cents, I’d still do this race just to inform people.”

In conjunction with the run, there will be a cultural exhibit displaying Zimbabwean art to give participants a glimpse of the country’s culture.

This year’s event is dedicated to the memory of Sister Batsyria Eunice Makoni, a Catholic nun and Zimbabwe native who died in a car crash last summer. Sister Makoni was known for her devotion to children’s causes and AIDS awareness. Among the many mentor programs she helped set up, one consisted of an all-girl marching team outfitted in homemade skirts and donated shirts left over from Willy’s Road Race (a run that benefited the former St. William School in Los Altos).

Participants in “Run for Zimbabwe Orphans” may register in advance or up to 20 minutes before the starting gun. Those who aren’t up for running can volunteer at the event, donate supplies or make a monetary contribution to the Makumbi Children’s Home.

“Five dollars goes a long way considering how little these people have,” Clark said. “It certainly goes a long way when you’re dealing with human life.”

For more information, call the race hot line at 941-9206, or logon to the St. Joseph School Web site, www.sjmv.org.