Por Los Ninos Zihuatanejo Update
Two exciting things to report! Looks like we are out of the orange stoplight for COVID this coming week with no new cases or deaths. Last week they allowed occupancy rates for hotels and restaurants to go to 40% with restrictions so soon we will be back to normal whatever that is. more businesses are reopening after taking the reopening course for sanitation regulations. People are returning to work but we expect at least 30% of businesses will not reopen. Unemployment is still rampant and we are still delivering 300 plus food hampers per week. Students have returned to school virtually via television.
And now the second piece of good news! Cindy Dainhard, a Saifest volunteer is spearheading the October Marathon which will benefit students and the Rice and Beans program, Read on!
“We have been offered an amazing opportunity to take part in a charity run through Scotiabank and Amistad Canada. If it is a success this year, we’re hoping it could seriously become a wonderful pre-season event and revenue source for years to come. There will be a Sailfest in 2020 to celebrate our 20th anniversary but we don’t know what it will look like or how successful it will be due to COVID. In order to continue working to support students with food, school supplies, and scholarships we are being proactive and planning other fundraisers. This is a perfect start.
This is something that usually takes place in Toronto, Canada but in having to cancel it this year, due to current Covid restrictions, they’ve decided to attempt their very first “Virtual Run/Walk Marathon“. And do not let the word marathon frighten you right out of the gate, because this event couldn’t be easier for those of us who don’t run. Are you ready for this……..YOU WILL HAVE THE ENTIRE MONTH OF OCTOBER TO COMPLETE IT!!!
You can walk or run, indoors or out. If you are a runner, then you can choose to complete it in a single event, if not then you can opt to work towards your distance as many days a week that fits your level of comfort until you reach your goal. You can choose between a number of distances from a 5k (3.107 miles for our American friends) to a full marathon, and even add various distances together. One of the choices that looks like fun is a marathon relay with 4 team members, each doing a little over 10k. You could form a team in your city and do the run together, or challenge your Zihua friends that live in other cities across North America.
Collecting pledges from people has also never been made easier. Once registered you will have access to your own fundraising page to blast on your social media platforms, where your supporters simply need to click on the link and donate to your personal endeavor. While there are entrance fees, you’ll receive a medal and t-shirt, in addition to the chance to win a number of prizes. Because Scotiabank is covering all other costs, 100% of your sponsor’s donations will be going directly to Por Los Ninos.
Please, help us to establish this as a successful pre-season fundraiser that Scotiabank will want to do every year. They couldn’t have made it any easier for us by allowing us to take an entire month to complete the distance,
Once you contact me then I will add you to the mailing list to send out all additional details. Absolutely no commitment is required to simply request more information. I’ve set up a Facebook page for our own team and there is also a Facebook page for the entire event.
I look so forward to hearing from everyone. Please don’t email Carol for details, as she is so extremely busy right now with feeding the community. Once I have people responding, I will send out detailed instructions and will do a mass email on the weekend of August 29th to everyone who is interested.
Cindy Dainard
cdainard.sailfest@gmail.com
26 August 2020
