Registration is now open for the third annual Run for Newmarket in support of our local hospital.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association will host the event with proceeds dedicated to Southlake Foundation. Representatives of the organization made the announcement at the Newmarket Public Library on July 13 with community groups in attendance.
“We are excited this year to support the Southlake Foundation with their needs,” said Arif Khan, chairman of the Newmarket Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association.
The family fun event will occur at Fairy Lake Park on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 9 a.m. It will feature a five-kilometre run, a three-kilometre run, and a one-kilometre family walk.
The organization has supported the Newmarket Food Pantry, Blue Door, CHATS, and York Region Food Network in its first two events, raising $45,000 in total. This year, they aim to raise $25,000 for Southlake.
“We are so grateful to have the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association as one of our partners,” said Patricia McLaughlin, director of events and community partnerships at Southlake Foundation.
McLaughlin said Southlake has helped build a healthy community by delivering leading-edge care for 100 years and counting. She said the hospital serves about 1.5 million people annually across York Region and south Simcoe County.
“The government doesn’t fund new or replacements for equipment,” said McLaughlin. “When we get funds through events like this, that is what enables us to modernize facilities and to offer the best possible care.”
The event features competitive and casual runners and walkers. Participants come with their families and enjoy the festivities of the day.
“We reached out to them and they openly accepted our offer that we want to support them,” said Khan. “They said we are going to be fully supported for this event, internally and externally.”
The cost to sign up for the five-kilometre walk is $45 and includes a free t-shirt, the cost for the three-kilometre walk is $35 and includes a free t-shirt, and the one-kilometre walk is free. A t-shirt is not included in the one-kilometre walk but can be purchased for $15.
The association, an auxiliary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at, a dynamic and fast-growing international revival movement within Islam with a chapter in Newmarket, advocates for universal human rights. Members range from 16 to 40 years of age, with those members younger from seven to 15 years of age covered by the Newmarket Ahmadiyya Muslim Children's Association.
The group runs regular programs for youth with a mix of academic, sporting, social welfare, and charitable works. The objective of AMYA is to serve and contribute to society at all levels irrespective of people’s beliefs, race or gender. It hosts charitable initiatives with the Mercy 4 Mankind subchapter.
“The teaching of our religion is to do good work for the community and give back to the community,” said Khan. “All across Canada, we have 24 runs that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association is doing under the banner of Mercy 4 Mankind.”
