We are less than a week away from one of the most anticipated 100 mile races of the year and the biggest ultra party of the year! This year, for the first time, Wander Project has partnered with Javelina to offer charity bibs for the event. Ten incredible individuals are running the event for charity, below are their stories.
Kevin Wolf
The Wilderness Society
Running for a charity combines my own personal goals with a greater purpose, raising awareness and funds for causes that make a positive impact on other people's lives. For the Javelina Jundred, I chose to raise money for The Wilderness Society because they embody my passion for environmental conservation and outdoor advocacy. These organizations work tirelessly to protect our natural landscapes and ensure that future generations can also experience the transformative power of the the natural world. By supporting them, I aim to give back to the trails and national parks that have given me so much and help to safeguard our planet's precious wild areas.
Scott Tom
Rising Hearts
For the Javelina Jundred, I've agreed to raise money to support RISING HEARTS. I am passionate about this campaign because it contributes to a greater cause, one that is deeply meaningful to me. I am an Ultra Runner and a part of the ReNew Earth Running team. The team of runners consist of indigenous men and women from all across the nation. Together, we run to protect and heal the environment by restoring stewardship of the land for Tribal Nations and Indigenous leadership. As runners, we intimately engage with the land every day, with each step. And, wherever we run, we carry the knowledge that we are running upon our homelands, the same territories that our ancestors occupied. The land belongs to indigenous people, and we share that message with everyone we encounter along our journey.
Christine Lichtenfels
STEP
I believe strongly in what STEP does: educate and empower low-income Arizona high schoolers to enroll in and graduate from college through long-term programs including workshops and wilderness experiences. It seemed really appropriate to do this charity bib at JJ for an Arizona-based nonprofit like STEP that has outstanding results.
Dave Meltzer
Ronald McDonald House Charities
I am a now four time fund raiser for RMHC. Having a child in the hospital is stressful enough and the warming accommodation and meals RMHC offers to families of ill children is a great service and one that deserves my fundraising efforts.
Meghan Guler
MS Run The US
MS Run the US is a nonprofit that organizes an annual relay across the United States from CA to NY raising money for and awareness of Multiple Sclerosis. My aunt was diagnosed with MS in 2010 and the picture it painted was grim. Since, we have learned so much about MS and met a community of people who also have MS or have a personal connection to someone who does. I have been a member of the relay team twice and now run as an athlete representing the organization to continue our efforts toward research, fulfilling financial aid requests, and raising awareness. I started running long distance for this organization 3 years ago and haven't looked back!
Jesse Keenan
Rising Hearts
I love to run, but I wanted to run for something bigger than me. I chose Rising Hearts because the work they do reflects the things that I care about: Indigenous rights, environmental advocacy, justice and equity in the outdoors and in ultrarunning, and the intersectionality of it all. My cultural background and identity (white dude) cause me to consider all the various marginalized folks who don't have access to the world in the same way I do, whether because of Western-sanctioned colonial violence, like in Palestine, or because of systemic racism and sexism here at home. I'm proud to be able to support the broad range of work that Rising Hearts does in uplifting Indigenous voices in our sport.
Doug Ross
Challenged Athletes Foundation
Many of us are blessed with bodies capable of amazing physical feats, but others have difficulties enjoying an active lifestyle. CAF supports those with physical challenges, empowering them to find community, confidence, and conviction in physical endeavors. I was first introduced to CAF when competing in triathlons and I'm proud to support them now as a trail runner wannabe.
Jackson Brougher
Donor Network West
My company has been working with DNW for a few years now, and I am blown away by their dedication to facilitating organ donation. These folks work quite literally around the clock to ensure that every life that can be saved by their hands is. That is amazing. Right now they have a larger fundraising initiative to 1) increase the number of donors they can recover from, and 2) also provide hotel-like accommodations for the families of donors. Normally families are left to their own when a loved one becomes a donor, and there's a huge gulf that can be crossed there to better support these folks.