The city’s generosity makes Sun Run shine
Road race isn’t officially a charity event, but it’s raised $2.65M for various causes
As runners and walkers line up April 22 at the start line for the 34th Vancouver Sun Run, a halfdozen blocks east up Burrard Street from the Shaw Tower, the telecommunications company will be watching with interest.
Shaw has been associated with the Sun Run since it began sponsoring the family friendly 2.5-kilometre mini run 15 years ago. Now it will match money raised by runners who have pledged to donate to the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation, up to a cap of $10,000.
“This is the first year we’ve done matching money,” Chethan Lakshman, Shaw’s vice-president of external affairs, said from the company’s head office in Calgary. "We’ve added that as a component for the community this year.
“The Sun Run is the marquee event in Vancouver. Not only is it the largest road race of 10 kilometres in Canada, it’s part of the culture. People recognize spring is here, everyone comes and enjoys the Vancouver streets.”
The Sun Run’s stated goals are to promote health, fitness and sense of community. It’s not officially designated as a charity event.
But the Sun Run has raised more than $2.65 million for various causes since the run began in 1985, including $50,000 a year to The Vancouver Sun Raise-a-Reader campaign and another $50,000 to support amateur athletics through the Achilles Track Society and The Vancouver Sun International Harry Jerome Track Classic.
In addition to those donations, this year’s designated charities are B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation, B.C. SPCA, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Ronald McDonald House B.C. & Yukon, and B.C. Cancer Foundation.
“The money raised for charity by the Sun Run developed organically,” Lakshman said. "It speaks volumes to the generosity of the Vancouver community.
"It’s a great event. We’re committed to matching up to $10,000 for money pledged to B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the figure raised by the community is well over that.”
The Shaw 2.5K mini Sun Run starts outside B.C. Place Stadium at the 10K finish line and proceeds east down Pacific Boulevard, to Quebec Street., then back up Pacific Boulevard. Adults escorting children don’t pay an entry fee. And, just as for the 10K run, the names of all mini-runners will be printed in The Vancouver Sun on Monday, April 23.
The Vancouver Sun Run pledge program was launched in 2014. To date, runners and walkers have raised $140,000 using the program.
You can create your own pledge page when you register. Money you raise goes directly to your selected charity.
The Sun Run has grown from a field of 3,200 participants in 1985 to become one of the largest timed 10K road races in the world. Last year, 41,924 crossed the finish line at B.C. Place.
Course records are held by the late Joseph Kimani of Kenya (27:31 in 1996) and Isabella Ochichi of Kenya (30:58 in 2006).