Ruta La Paz XII was a grand success here in Playa Hermosa! Even through the pouring rain, everyone was all smiles and full of excitement. So many members of the community came to support the runners and La Paz school’s scholarship program.
In case you missed my previous blog about the La Paz scholarship program please click here link or watch this video. To give a quick overview, the La Paz school offers a scholarship program that is donor-funded. Community leaders that participate within the school seek out underprivileged children in the local communities and offer them the opportunity to learn at La Paz with one of these scholarships. The goal of the scholarship program is to help these less fortunate children become future leaders and raise up the underprivileged communities they came from. Ruta La Paz is a race hosted by La Paz school to help fundraise for these scholarships.
Saturday, June 11th, was the day of the big race! Parents, volunteers, sponsors, and kids were all working hard since 11am to get ready for the event. Music was playing, kids were laughing, tents were being set up, and donations were being collected. Aquasport, the beach front restaurant that was the kick off for the entire event, was filled to the brim with community members working together to get the beach race ready.
My wife Karla, Julia and her husband Mike, (Julia is my right-hand assistant, not sure what I would do without her) helped set up a large tent by the finish line to hand out bananas, mandarins, and apples to all those who ran in the race. It was such an honor to personally be a Diamond sponsor for Ruta La Paz and to know that so many underprivileged kids will now get an educational opportunity of a lifetime! I was also so proud of my team at Tres Amigos Realty Group for coming together and also donating to the La Paz Scholarship program. Collectively, Tres Amigos became the Principal sponsor of Ruta La Paz XII by donating $20,000.
At 3pm some dark clouds started to roll in and the wind picked up. But that didn’t stop all the great energy and enthusiasm for the race which was to begin at 4pm. The kids started dancing in the rain to warm up beforehand and the adults continued to work hard to get everything ready.
Finally, at 4pm the first race began. The little ones (2-4 years old) lined up at the starting line and shot forward like little shooting stars across the sand. The crowd went wild! Everyone cheered on the littles ones as they ran as fast as they could. It was so cute to watch!
Soon after, it was time for the main race to begin. A 5 kilometer run across Playa Hermosa beach. The runners assembled into place and took off at lightning speeds at the end of the countdown. Hundreds of runners were scattered across the entire beach. No rain or wind could stop them from running for a great cause!
As the runners started to cross the finish line the sun began to poke through the clouds. Beautifully carved coconut medals were passed out to the runners and everyone was high-fiving! The rain was a blessing in disguise, keeping everyone cool and hydrated.
Ruta La Paz XII raised $120,000 in donations! This amount will allow 10 underprivileged kids to receive a full scholarship to La Paz for a whole year. A full scholarship includes uniform, laptop, books, transportation, lunch, school supplies, special services such as home visits, workshops, and field trips.
Interested in helping out and sponsoring a local child? La Paz is always accepting donations! No donation is too small. If you are interested in donating, please reach out to me at jaaechef@gmail.com. See you in Playa Hermosa soon!
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