This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Run 4 Refugees, a charity race event started by Lehi locals, is again raising funds, and this year's recipients will get goats.
The event includes a 5K and 10K race, as well as a family- and kid-friendly 1-mile run/walk. The race will be held at Skyridge High School, 3000 N. Center St., in Lehi, on Saturday at 8 a.m.
Four hundred vulnerable families in northern Jordan have been selected to receive two milk-producing goats. They can produce milk products, such as butter and cheese, and sell some of their product for a small source of income.
All proceeds from the race will be donated to Lifting Hands International (LHI), a grass-roots nonprofit organization, and to their Gather for Goats project.
"Many people don't know how they can assist in this global refugee crisis," said Stephanie Gardner, a Run 4 Refugees race founder. "But thanks to our partnership with LHI, people can now do something that will directly help and support a refugee family in Jordan."
The support from the community made last year's Run 4 Refugees race a success with 300 runners raising $7,500 for various charities, Gardner said. This year they expect 700 runners.
Registration is $25 for the 5K and $35 for the 10K, and the kid-friendly 1-mile walk/run is free. Register online at run4refugees.com/register.
With only one employee and an army of volunteers, LHI offers several ways to serve refugees. Locally, humanitarian donations are collected, sorted and packed into containers then shipped directly to refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon.
For volunteers who can commit to at least 30 days and are financially self-sufficient, LHI also provides opportunities to serve refugees encamped in Serres, Greece.
For more information visit, http://www.liftinghandsinternational.org.
— By Christopher Smart