Red Deer PCN Women's Fun Run coordinator Val Jensen (left) presents a cheque to The Mustard Seed Red Deer to continue its school lunch program. (Supplied)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

staying fit and supporting a good cause

Virtual Red Deer PCN Women’s Fun Run raises $51,000

May 24, 2020 | 3:09 PM

The organizer of one of the first local events to announce it would still go on despite the pandemic says it was a smashing success.

The Red Deer PCN Women’s Fun Run usually happens on Mother’s Day Weekend with festivities aplenty, but was forced to go virtual for 2020.

The run raised $51,000 according to coordinator Val Jensen, around $15,000 more than what’s typically raised. Those funds will help The Mustard Seed continue its school lunch program.

“In these times — and I hate to say unprecedented because that word gets overused — we came together as a community,” says Jensen. “I’m really proud to be part of a Red Deer that said ‘We’re going go help out and be part of a good thing, and there are people hurting more than us, so let’s open our hearts and wallets.”

The virtual aspect of the event required participants to share on social media images and videos of themselves being active during the lead-up to May 9.

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More than 1,650 people registered, from as far away as California and Ontario.

Jensen says another feather in the organizing team’s cap is that they’ve been approached by other events, such as the Vancouver Sun Run, for advice on how to ensure events still take place.

Next year’s Red Deer PCN Women’s Fun Run is set for May 8 and will be the event’s 10th anniversary. The theme is ‘Aloha.’

More information is at WomensFunRun.com.