The morning of November 22 was a little chilly. Heading into Civic Center Park, one could observe runners warming up in short bursts, hopping up and down, stretching. People were friendly, surprisingly calm before embarking on a 13.2-mile run.
We packed the Berkeley Public Schools Fund booth with lots of treats: temporary tattoos, paper medals for kids (or adults!) to color, materials for making cheer signs, Annual Reports, t-shirts for team members, and our reusable shopping bags.
One of the things we love most about the Berkeley Half Marathon is that it’s such a joyous community event. Members of Team Schools Fund bounded up to our booth, sweaty but smiling. They’d grab a tattoo; their kids would color a medal or make a sign; everyone was happy to pose for a quick photo. After months of emails about fundraising, it was exciting meeting runners face-to-face.
These dedicated runners raised over $37,000 this year for Berkeley public schools. Team Schools Fund was comprised of Berkeley parents, alum, and even students, and everyone shared the goal of supporting our community’s rich educational experiences. Our team was also sponsored by local education start-up Magoosh.
The Johnston family had four runners participating in Berkeley Half Marathon events: Carrie Johnston writes, “My kids, who are 7 and 9, both did an amazing job running the 5K without stopping or complaining. They were part of the reason our family team (which included me at 5K and my husband at the Half) earned well over our $500 fundraising goal. And I know they were not the only kids who ran the 5K. As you can see, I am super proud of my kids.” We love having young runners participate in this event!
Check out our full photo gallery from the 2015 Berkeley Half Marathon here, and you can read about our participation in previous years here. And be sure to check back for more information about next year’s race!