Race2Raise introduces 'military boot camp' style series

MANILA, Philippines - Race2Raise, a sporting event featuring running, cycling and adventure racing, will be held June 25 with a military-boot-camp style Camp Run series at Camp Aguinaldo.

eXtribe, a group of young, charity-minded race organizers, is spearheading the “Race2Raise” campaign aimed at generating funds for various foundations that help educate poor but deserving children.

Eric Imperio, who heads the group formed eight years ago, said the funds to be generated will be donated to several foundations like the Department of Education’s Adopt a School Program, ABS-CBN’s E-Media Project, Hero Foundation, Inc. and 57-75 Movement’s Reverse the Education Crisis.

The campaign follows the theme train, race and serve or train to become a hero, race to make a difference and serve as inspiration to others.

“The campaign is a program of activities designed to stimulate community involvement, create awareness, and raise financial support for eXtribe’s partner foundations through sports,” said Imperio in yesterday’s press conference at the Discovery Suites in Pasig City.

“In partnership with Discovery Suites and Total Fitness Magazine, the campaign will not just be anchored on a single event but will be sustained throughout the year with a series of events.

“We hope to see the Race2Raise campaign spread nationally, not only to increase participation in sports events but also raise awareness of various national issues that will move people to act and become involved,” he added.

DepEd’s Adopt a School Program aims to encourage private companies to assist in the delivery of better quality education to public schools in the country, particularly in the poverty-stricken provinces while the E-Media Project is focusing on assisting to improve the quality of education in the country through multi-media-assisted instruction by providing television and computers to school.

The 57-75 Movement, for its part, is a coalition of private sector entities that aims to reverse the education crisis through focused and specified interventions and community empowerment and engagement while the Hero Foundation is a group providing education to orphaned military children.