Runners for others

I got a letter from my good friend Butch Jimenez. In his inspiring letter, Butch wrote, “The year 2009 opened with grim predictions of an economic downturn. While many of us remained optimistic things would turn around as soon as the New Year opened, it looks like a miracle isn’t going to happen. As each day passes, the effects of a world wide recession creeps closer and closer to home. With this as our backdrop, there is one word we should be ready to hear over and over again in the business world, among small and medium scale industries, within the walls of micro-establishments, and definitely throughout the most basic unit of any country — the family. That word is “cutback.“

As the economy slows down, and as our financial challenges escalate, the wise move is to cut back. I do wish to present however a perspective that goes against the grain of this wise path to take. While I do agree that we must cut back, I do wish to make the case that we don’t cut back in helping others. It is in this most challenging of times we need to not cut back, but actually “give back” to those in need.

We live in a country where the underprivileged make up majority of our population. Latest statistics show 28 percent of our people live in abject poverty. That’s nearly 25 million Filipinos who have no food, clothing, shelter, education and the basic necessities to live a decent life. This will get worse as the crisis hits us. And this is the main reason why, when it comes to helping others, 2009 should not be the year of cutting back, but of giving back.

Butch is starting the year with an effort to give back. He together with some friends formed, Runners for Others (R4O) whose members not only love long distance marathon running, but have found one reason that binds them all together — a desire to help others. Looking through the list of runners in the team would make one think that they would all be too busy steering their companies through the recession. But knowing that while an economic crisis is looming across the horizon and these business giants can still think of others, is encouraging and empowering.

This year, Team R4O ran the Hong Kong Marathon to help raise funds for needy children. They all ran to test the limits of their physical endurance to make a difference in the lives of various children. Some of them ran the full marathon, some the half marathon, and some the 10km race. But every step was for children of UP PGH children’s ward and Operation Smile.

Their partnership with Operation Smile is heartwarming. Each team member ran for a specific child with a cleft deformity. With this marathon, R4O raised funds so  the children can be operated on and given a chance at a better life. The impact of facial deformity on a child is not merely physical. Children with cleft deformities experience complications such as malnutrition, respiratory ailments, ear infections, and psychological and sociological suffering. Children with cleft deformities are often ridiculed, while a majority stop school and are robbed of a future.

“We know each child by name and we tried to finish the course to give each child a chance to smile,” shared Butch.   

Members of Team R4O aside from Butch are Lance Gokongwei, Anton Huang, Nina Herrera-Huang, Chris Po, Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Kit  Kat Zobel de Ayala, Ana Constantino, Jajo Quintos, Manny Minana, Mike Bangayan, Jun Jun Calma, Jay Ong, Matthew Westfall, Jael and Cookie Wenceslao, JayJay and Ana De Ocampo, Miguel Lopez and  Maui Sugay and Max Kienle.

If you really think about it, the concept of giving back is more powerful than the effects of a recession. Because even if a recession hits our country, that recession will never be able to take the smile away from the kids whose cleft deformities were fixed because a team of runners decided to give back.

 Bravo, Team R40!