By Megan Ma
 Ellen Clark of Los Altos is still passionate about helping the needy orphan children of Zimbabwe, a passion brought out through the running event she organizes every year at St. Joseph School in Mountain View. |
Los Altos resident Ellen Clark has found an ingenuous way to combine her two passions: running and philanthropy. She hosts her 7th annual run for Zimbabwe orphans at St. Joseph School this March 26.
All the proceeds for the event will go to a Zimbabwe orphanage that supports 85 children, from infants to eighteen years of age. Many, she said, have been abandoned and orphaned by parents stricken with AIDs.
As one of the hardest hit countries in the world from the AIDs pandemic, Clark admits she wasn’t always knowledgeable about the poor conditions of Zimbabwe and many other African countries loosely lumped together based on their association with the virus.
It wasn’t until her son served as a school teacher there in 1997 that the reality hit home with startling clarity.
” He was hit over the head with the pandemic and poverty there. It affected him for life. We decided as a family, we would try to help,” Clark said. As a cross-country runner and aficionado herself, she adds with a playful smile, “But we don’t know anything but running.”
The run is lightly competitive, but not strenuous. Eleven short races are divided by grade levels and offer a range in distance - from a 220-yard-run for pre-schoolers to a mile-long run for teens and adults. Trophies will be awarded in each category.
Besides raising money alone, Clark emphasized her interest in raising awareness of another people and culture.
She offers a ‘faire’ on the sidelines, made up of volunteers - often, children who set up their own educational booths. As long as it relates to African culture, said Clark, it goes.
“It’s an opportunity to learn something even after the money is sent and spent. I really believe in two-way philanthropy. Zimbabwe has a lot to offer and teach us in return. It’s important not to victimize, but to understand a people.” Clark said.
Clark is the president of the non-profit organization, Sustainable Living Foundation, comprising her family and a handful of volunteers.
For more information on Run Zimbabwe or to participate, please visit www.zimbabweparaguay.com or email zpclarks@sbcglobal.net.
