The Ridgefield Academy community is putting on its running shoes! Run4RA, the school’s annual all-school fitness event is happening on Friday, May 12 at the RA campus on West Mountain Road in Ridgefield. Students in Kindergarten through Grade 8, faculty and staff will run or walk for age-appropriate lengths of time to raise money for RA’s Teacher Enrichment Fund. This fund allows RA teachers to explore opportunities and interests by expanding their knowledge and creativity outside the classroom. Additional funds benefit general faculty support for all of RA’s talented teachers.
Run4RA also incorporates a service aspect to this event that links directly with RA’s focus on helping those in need locally and globally. Students have been asked to gather gently used athletic shoes to be donated to the More Foundation whose mission is to create prosperity in African villages. Shoes will be collected at school and at the event.
Students also are encouraged to secure sponsors to support their efforts at Run4RA. The school community goal is to walk or run for a total of 7000 minutes. Last year, donations ranged from $10 to $1000 and, in total, the RA community raised over $17,000. The hope is to exceed that success this year. As Brendan Carney, RA Athletics, explains, “Run4RA is about coming together as a school community and putting a spotlight on fitness and fun for everyone. Students appreciate their teachers so much at RA. This is a great way for the students to raise money so they can become even betters teachers and get some exercise too.”