By Sheldon Spackman

PCN Women’s Fun Run helps children in need

May 12, 2018 | 1:49 PM

Well over 1,200 women and children took part in this year’s PCN Women’s Fun Run in Red Deer on Saturday and helped out a great cause at the same time.

Held under the sunshine at the Lindsay Thurber High School track and along some of the city’s scenic river valley trails nearby, race participants had a variety of courses to choose from including a 1K, 3K, 5K or 10K Run/Walk, as well as a 500m Little Ladies Race and 100m Diaper Dash.

Proceeds raised will once again go to the Mustard Seed’s School Lunch Program. A program that served over 54,000 lunches to local school kids in need, thanks to the over $20,000 that was raised during the 2017 event.

Nadine Coulter is a support nurse at Red Deer’s Primary Care Network (PCN), a major sponsor of the event. She says being involved in the Women’s Fun Run is a natural fit for them.

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“The Primary Care Network is all about promoting healthy living and supporting our communities,” says Coulter. “So we’re always doing events and finding ways that we can get people to be part of the community and living healthier lifestyles.”

Byron Bradley, Managing Director for the Mustard Seed in Central Alberta, says the money they receive from this event will have a significant impact on the most vulnerable children they serve.

“All the money from the event today that comes to the Mustard Seed will go to our School Lunch Program, which provides lunches for over 300 vulnerable kids across 32 schools in Red Deer every school day of the year” he explains. “Also this summer, we’re actually going to be providing lunches throughout the summer as well for many of those kids.”

He says the Mustard Seed is very honoured to be a part of it again this year.

“It’s such a great event, promoting women’s health, women of all ages,” says Bradley. “I heard this morning that there was over 10 ladies over the age of 80 and also some newborns as well, so we’re just so happy to be a part of this event.”

Race Coordinator Val Jensen says an event like this couldn’t be a success without the help of sponsors and its 260 volunteers.

“It’s a huge thing for us to be able to help the Mustard Seed out,” exclaims Jensen. “Red Deer PCN is our major sponsor, we couldn’t do this if it wasn’t for them.”

Looking back when this event first started seven years ago, Jensen says she just wanted to see women and girls more active and now she’s quite proud of what the event has grown into.

“We talk about mental health and it’s a huge issue in our city but I think it goes hand-in-hand with physical health,” states Jensen. “I don’t know many people that aren’t out walking the trails and running the trails that aren’t feeling great. So that’s what we want to do is celebrate women on Mother’s Day weekend.”

For more information on the PCN Women’s Fun Run, visit WomensFunRun.com.