Have you heard!? The Bellevue LifeSpring Youth Council’s third annual 5k Fun Run to fight hunger for local students is happening on Sunday, August 27, at Marymoor Park. All proceeds raised at the event will immediately help provide emergency food support to the more than 4,175 Bellevue students experiencing food insecurity.
Individuals, teams, families, and your pup are welcome to participate. Participants are in for a fun day with pre-race activities beginning at 9 a.m.
Youth Council Member Cole Sevier, a junior at Bellevue High School, shares what inspires him to give back to his community and how you can get involved.
What inspired the Youth Council to organize this year’s 5K Fun Run?
“The Youth Council’s first 5k was in 2019. The current youth council members liked the idea and decided to bring it back last summer. The success of last year’s event inspired us to make it an annual event.
Personally, what inspires me to continue supporting Bellevue LifeSpring are the people that we are able to help in our community. We may not recognize hunger or homelessness in our daily lives, and it can be easy to tune it out, especially here in Bellevue. But when I heard that nearly 200 of my peers at Bellevue High School are experiencing food scarcity, that sounded crazy to me.
That means that someone in my math or Japanese class may not have had breakfast that morning or dinner the night before. Or maybe they are sleeping on someone’s couch or have three families in the same apartment. I wanted to help.”
What exciting things can participants expect the day of the 5k?
“Participants can expect a non-competitive event where they can walk, run, or stroll through Marymoor Park. You can even bring your dogs! One of our sponsors, Fabletics, is providing swag bags, and we have some fun pre-race activities planned, like a silent auction and a new Kiddie Race.
Other sponsors like State Farm, BECU, and Viome will have booths, games, and door prizes. Food will be provided by Panera, Trader Joe’s, Coca-Cola, and others. The 5k will be followed by awards and the exciting announcement of raffle and silent auction winners.
Our silent auction will have exciting items like a family pass to the MoPOP in Seattle, a new Fabletics workout outfit, gift cards for local Bellevue restaurants, and more!”
What are you most looking forward to this year?
“I’m looking forward to seeing all the pieces coming together. It has been a fun process to plan the event, and seeing everyone gathered together and having fun for a good cause will really be exciting. This year we would love to have more family participation. I’m looking forward to seeing the little kids run in the Kiddie Run before the main event and seeing families walking with their dogs.”
Are there any volunteer opportunities available?
“Absolutely! We certainly need volunteers for the entire weekend of the event. We also need additional members for the Youth Council. Our Youth Council is an opportunity to demonstrate leadership skills in a way you would be proud to put on a resume or college application.
If you are interested in helping at the 5K or joining the Youth Council, you can email me directly at cole.sevierus5@gmail.com.”
Why do you think it’s important to give back locally?
“It’s easy to get wrapped up in big ideas and try to help big cases. In my opinion, the world isn’t out there. It’s right here. It’s next door, across the street, and in your neighborhood school. If we all focus on caring for our neighbors, the rest will take care of itself.”
Why should local businesses support the cause?
“Businesses should support Bellevue kids because it’s a great way to gain recognition and customer loyalty. I personally, and I think most people like and prefer to support businesses that give back to the community.
Last year, only a few youth council members were planning the 5k, but over 130 community members and local businesses participated, and we raised $10,000! This summer, we have 13 members working to plan the event, and we want, well, we NEED to double that amount to fight hunger for local kids.”
We couldn’t agree more, Cole. Everyone in the community benefits when you give where you live, especially our children. You can register to participate or donate to the event’s success by visiting www.givebutter.com/yQGbam. If you’re a local business interested in sponsoring or hosting a booth at the event, contact Cole at cole.sevierus5@gmail.com.
See you at the race!
