Student hopes to raise $1,500 for mini-marathon

IU student Kelly Hannon will be running approximately 13 miles in the Indianapolis mini-marathon May 5. Not only is she busy training right now, she is working to raise a total of $1,500 from sponsors. The money will go to Middle Way House, a Bloomington organization that, according to its Web site, works to empower women and children who have been victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault by “implementing or sponsoring activities and programs aimed at achieving individual and social change.”\n“I chose that goal (of $1,500),” she said. “At this point I’m only at $330 ... I have a Facebook group with like 140 people in it and I told them that if I make the $1,500 goal, I’ll run in 1980s gear.”\nShe also said she plans to contact restaurants about fundraising nights, and she is going to start trying to get sponsored through methods other than the Internet, since that is the only way she has tried so far.\nHannon mentioned if she doesn’t make her goal, she will probably try again next year. She added that “you definitely learn in the process how much work it takes” to run the marathon and get sponsors.\nBobbie Summers, events coordinator for Middle Way House, said that the organization originally began in the 1970s, but it was not until 1981 that it started providing emergency services to victims. Middle Way House relies solely on donations, grants and government funding, but because government funds are being cut, the center’s need for fundraising and donations has increased. Since it no longer has to pay rent on two different spaces, Middle Way House recently bought the old Coca-Cola building in Bloomington where it will relocate everything under one roof. Because of the cost of renovations on the Coca-Cola building and the ever-expanding programs at Middle Way House, it is rather expensive for it to offer all of the services it currently provides. \n“We really appreciate (random donations) ... I track, as much as I can, the outside donations or fundraising events for us, and we make a significant amount of money through those events ...” Summers said. “It makes a tremendous difference... For us to maintain our program, we really rely heavily on that support.”\nHannon is a senior majoring in English education. As the vice president of Friends of Middle Way House, an IU student organization, she has signed up for the mini-marathon the past two years, but was unable to participate both times. Her older sister has run in the past and will join Kelly this year. Hannon said she views the race as a good way to get in shape, and the fundraising for Middle Way House is a great form of motivation. She is training and can run up to four miles but she has not started running every day. In the coming weeks, she will start running more often in order to increase her endurance and get in better shape for the event.\nThrough her involvement in Friends of Middle Way House, Hannon said she has not only found something meaningful in which to participate, but she also works with the group to “bridge the gap between campus and Middle Way House.” According to her marathon Web site, her fundraising efforts have currently reached about 25 percent of her goal. To encourage Hannon and donate money to her cause, visit her Web site at \nhttp://fundraising.marathonguide.com/runkellyrun.