Run/walk to benefit Boys and Girls Club

A 5K run/walk benefiting the Bloomington Boys and Girls Club will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday at the IU Cross Country track, located at 10th Street and the State Road 45/46 bypass. The event is sponsored by the Kelley School of Business's summer Intensive Core students.\nThe event is the centerpiece of an effort by the I-Core students to help the local branch of the Boys and Girls Club out of a $21,000 deficit in funding for its summer camp program. The shortage came about after a cut in city funding for the program. I-Core students have each personally donated $10 and have additionally set a goal of raising at least $31 in donations apiece. \n"The students are operating this fundraiser independent of the Boys and Girls Club," said IU senior business student and project publicity coordinator Amanda Eich in a press release. "This project is completely student run, and is our gift to them."\nThe entry fee for the race is $10 in advance and $15 on race day. In addition, all participants are entered in a raffle featuring prizes donated by local businesses.\nThe entirely student-run fund-raising event includes finding sponsors, runners and raffle prizes as well as their own personal financial contributions. The concerted effort comes at a time when the Intensive Core students already have a full courseload of strategy, marketing, finance and operations classes.\n"This is a cruel time in their life when they are taking a ruthless series of courses," said the students' professor, Dr. David Rubinstein, in the press release. "The fact that they're coordinating this effort during such a busy time in their lives says something special about these students."\nThe unique program is the first such event ever coordinated by summer business students.\n"We hope to serve as an example to future students," said Eich.\nThe Boys & Girls Clubs of America was founded in Connecticut in 1860 to give disadvantaged children access to affordable and safe programs, as well as exposure to positive influences. It received its Congressional charter in 1956.\nFor more information contact Amanda Eich at 855-3911