During these challenging times of the COVID-19 outbreak, I wanted to create a way that could bring together our community and support Helpline House and their ‘No Kid Hungry’ campaign. Helpline House is a non-profit organization on Bainbridge Island that offers a number of social services, one of which is supporting kids.  Bainbridge Island FC is the soccer club I work for on Bainbridge Island in Washington State.

The idea was for our club to sponsor their program via inclusion and movement of our soccer community to raise the healthy activity of our youth, and support what may likely be an increase in the needs of the Helpline House program to ensure no kids are hungry.

The challenge was for players and families to run the distance to cover Washington State, all 369 miles of it.  369 miles is the distance from Port Townsend, the westernmost point where BIFC has players; to the other side of Washington State.  Bainbridge Island FC and the BIFC Board sponsored every runner $3 per mile.

Over March 23rd-25th players ran and ran, with mom, with dad, with siblings or with the dog, every step counted.  218 runners rose to the challenge. Magnificent!  We ran so far, we ended up in Wolf Lodge in Idaho!!

They had to send in a photo for their miles to be counted.  These are the faces of the 218 people who ran a total of 381 miles.

The power of soccer, community and a good cause. It was a wonderful thing to lead!  The runners raised $1143 for Helpline House and their ‘No Kid Hungry’ campaign.  I suppose if that was the end of it we would have a super story, but the photos of runners have kept on coming, runners have kept on running.  We are now up to 239 runners and 414 miles, we have almost crossed Idaho as well. Take a Bow!

The runners have moved on from Wolf Lodge and are now as far as Osborn, Idaho and only 14 miles away from the border to Montana.