(If the person in the picture looks familiar, thats because Number 675 is our very own, Becky Brown ’17)
As students of Amherst College, we strive to do above and beyond. Many of us will join clubs, sports and work on projects within our school as we are naturally balancers of academics and extracurriculars (if those yearly admitted class statistics didn’t constantly remind us). However, Amherst students also want to help the community around us. That’s why when the Daffodil Fun Run for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County contacted us, we couldn’t wait to write an article.
What is the Daffodil Fun Run for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County, you ask? This 5k fundraiser raises funds for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County. This year will be the fifth anniversary of the event and takes place in the spring when the daffodils are in bloom. “This is a festive and fun community event,” says Development Director Kate Lockhard, “Participants race past many of the thousands of daffodils that were planted throughout town. The event is held each year at the beginning of spring when the daffoldils are in full bloom.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County matches students ages 6 to 18 who could use a bit of guidance with mentors that range from other students to retirees who have a few free hours in their week. For many of you reading this article, you may have a Big Brothers Big Sisters in your hometown. Whether you mentored, received mentorship or just heard about the program through the grapevine, you will quickly learn how life changing these connections can be in a child’s life. If you want to get involved directly with Big Brothers Big Sisters (they have a 5-college partnership!), visit their website for more information
Becky Brown ’17 weighed in on her experience with the group. “So far, I’ve really enjoyed being a Big Sister. I worked with kids a lot in high school, and when I got to university, I realized I really missed them. I got matched with my Little in the spring semester of Freshman year, and it’s been a pretty fun experience. We do homework together, play random games, we’ve gone sledding on Val trays, just the usual you would do with an actual little sister, I think . The Daffodil Fun Run is a fundraiser for the program that matched us together. The idea behind the name is that the daffodils are supposed to be in bloom by the time race-day hits, and it’s just a great way to get to spend time with my Little outside of the campus program. Last year, we bonded over the walking experience, but I might try to convince my Little to run it this year, haha.“
This sounds amazing, how can I get involved? The event will be held on April 26th, 2015 from 1 pm to 3pm. You can choose to run or walk the road race where at the end Amherst Pub will host a FREE BBQ with live entertainment for all participants. This year the race is limiting the number of participants to 1,500 so, register as soon as you can. If you register by April 1st, you will guarantee yourself a signature event t-shirt. There are more incentives based on the amount of money you raise that you can find on their website. Also visit their Facebook page for more information. Katie Lockhart said, “Last year, 900 people participated in the event and raised over $45,000. This year the goal is to raise $55,000 with more than 1,000 participants.” Let’s make it happen Amherst. We are known for doing great things, let’s keep it going.