Sutcliffe: What I learned about Ottawa on my 51.7-km run (with video)
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There are moments in your life when you see everyone at their best. On Tuesday, I travelled around the city for hours on foot and witnessed the kindness, generosity and hard work of hundreds of caring people.
A few weeks ago, I promised to run one kilometre for every $1,000 that people donated to the United Way. My goal was to raise $50,000. As of last weekend, I wasn’t sure I’d even come close to the target. But thanks to a groundswell of support in the final 48 hours, we met and exceeded it. There were several large contributions and an incredible number of small donations, proof of both the generosity of individuals and the power of crowds.
Following a route that took me to several agencies and programs funded by United Way donors, I ran a total of 51.7 kilometres. It was almost 10 kilometres farther than I’d ever run before, but I saw only a small part of our big city and only a fraction of the impact of United Way investments.
The experience was enlightening and empowering. At one stop, about halfway through the run, the attendant from a nearby parking lot approached us. His name was Juan, and it’s a safe bet that he wasn’t born in Ottawa. Juan had heard about the run on the radio and wanted to do his part. He enthusiastically handed over $40, reminding me that for the most generous, giving is an opportunity, not an obligation.
As I journeyed from place to place, I certainly observed many of the challenges our community faces. As our city grows, more demands are being placed on social agencies than ever before. There was even a medical emergency happening at one of the agencies as we visited.
But what resonated with me every step of the way was not the size of the obstacles we face but the energy, enthusiasm and creativity behind every effort to remove them.
It’s easy to get discouraged by news headlines about homelessness, gun violence and mental health issues, among many other issues faced by a growing city. Such challenges are frustratingly persistent and the solutions aren’t simple. But each of us has a choice: gripe at the futility of it all or join and support those who are doing something about it, changing the lives of others through their thoughtfulness and hard work.
Indeed, the more time you spend with the people who care for and support the most vulnerable among us, the more you believe in what’s possible.
I’m grateful for all the support I received before and during my run, and for all the congratulations I’ve received since. Outside of family milestones, it was one of the best days of my life.
But I must say I find it pretty easy to be a volunteer, to dabble in community service and to chip in a bit of time and money here and there. Even reaching out to my friends and family and promising to run far in exchange for donations is not that difficult.
The real heroes in our city are those who work every day at the United Way and other community agencies, foundations and initiatives, the people who dedicate their working lives to raising the money and delivering the programs that make our community safer and better. They run kilometres, literally and figuratively, every single day, not just on special occasions. They face conditions far more difficult than a long run. And they rarely get the credit and attention I received on Tuesday.
Just one example is a United Way employee named Paul Steeves, who ran every single step by my side on Tuesday, then went back to work on Wednesday in his role researching and evaluating United Way’s community investments.
It’s for these heroes that I dedicate myself to community service and in their honour that I ran this week. Compared to theirs, my commitment is small. And, thanks to them, my rewards have been infinitely disproportionate to my effort.
Mark Sutcliffe is co-chair of the United Way campaign. Twitter.com/_MarkSutcliffe
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