Early-risers. Athletes. Ambitious students in running shoes.
The chill of an 8 a.m. Sunday did not deter them from gathering together in the streets.
The Friends for Life of America annual Mile for a Child 5K raised about $650 to donate to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Camp Boggy Creek.
About 30 people ran in the 5K, which began on Gale Lemerand Drive and followed UF’s Southwest Recreation Center 5K route.
“It’s really exciting, how much money we’ve raised,” said Meray Ohanessian, Friends for Life president. “It’s not a huge 5K, but every penny counts.”
The race is one of four annual events that the club organizes to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research, said Malorie Lipman, the club’s vice president.
The members of Friends for Life vote for two organizations to raise money for each year, and this year they chose the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Camp Boggy Creek.
Both organizations serve children and families of children with life-threatening illnesses.
The first collegiate chapter of Friends for Life of America began at UF in 2000, Lipman said.
Since then, the organization has spread to schools across the country.
The club has about 30 members.
Because of its size, it’s easy for people who are passionate about the cause to get involved, Lipman said.
Sebastian Vargas, a 20-year-old UF chemical engineering junior, saw the advertisements for the race at the gym.
Although he mainly runs for his health, Vargas knows a close relative who survived cancer as a child.
“Everyone runs for a reason. If you want to run to get healthier, that’s good,” Vargas said. “Or if you just want to support a cause, that’s fantastic.”
