5K event benefits church construction
Top three finishers in the walk/run in order of placement (from right) Anthony Mendez, Ava Hider and Paul Williams
(CNS Local Life): A 5K walk/run held Sunday, 26 August, and sponsored by the West Bay Adventist Church raised more than$13,000, a record for the annual event that will contribute to the completion of a new sanctuary that will double as a hurricane shelter for the district.
Under construction for the past 10 years, the 9,760 sq. ft. building, expected to be dedicated in November, is built to hurricane standards that include an elevation of five feet.
Since 2005, while construction has been ongoing, the West Bay Church has been using the John A. Cumber Primary School’s auditorium for services.
“It will be quite a homecoming for the 225 members of the West Bay Church,” said Conference President Reinaldo Dracket, pastor for the West Bay Church. “We are really very pleased that we have managed to construct a building to standards that will enable us to supplement the district’s complement of hurricane shelters, thereby strengthening the ratio of shelters to population in the district.”
The start of the race
With that goal in mind, 301 people paid the $15 entrance fee for the event, bringing in $4,515 from the race itself. In addition, a donor matched the first $5,000 collected in fees which, together with smaller donations, brought the total to more than $13,000.
Pastor Dracket said that a portion of the proceeds would go towards scholarships for Cayman Academy. “I thank everyone who played a part in making this event such a success,” he said at Ed Bush Stadium, addressing the participants and volunteers at the 6:30am event.
Of those who registered, 138 ran or walked in the race, exceeding 2017’s participants by 100 and doubling the number for the 2016 event.
An award ceremony followed the walk/run, with the top three trophies in the men’s division going to Anthony Mendez, Paul Williams, and Cornelis Gouwn, in that order. In the women’s division, the top three runners were Ava Hider, Doireann Lynch, and Shellyanne Cupid. The youngest participant in the race was four-year-old Leandro Brown.
November’s dedication of the West Bay Adventist Church will include an unveiling ceremony during which donors will have another opportunity to contribute to clearing the church building’s financial balance sheet.
Category: Community, Fundraiser, Running, Sports
Brilliant, this place could really do with another church.
I have no problems with some charitable organizations doing 5k runs… but a church should be self funded by the members.