Director's Blog - Guest Blog: Malinda Petersen, running for KFB

posted on Feb 27th 2010 at 12:00am by Bridget Clark Whitney

Originally posted on the Fifth Third River Bank Run charity blog site on February 18 by Malinda Petersen--running and blogging for KFB.

Have you ever felt hungry?  I have.  In fact, I wake up “starving.”  And I promptly get myself something to eat, because there is always more than enough food in my kitchen.  And if there isn’t something there I like, I’ll go buy it.

My economic situation has changed in the past few months, but I’ve yet to feel destitute due to my new budgetary restrictions.  And I’ve truly never been starving.  But I know there are children in my Eastown neighborhood who are.  I know they can’t just run to the store when there is nothing in the house they want to eat.  And probably often there is nothing in the house to eat at all.

This thought process makes me rethink my feeling of lack, and several times in the last few months I haven’t just run to the store to feed my cravings.  I’ve eaten what I have and been thankful I have it.

And instead of running to the store, I’ve been inspired to just run.  I suppose it was inevitable for me to fill out the 53 River Bank Run entry form for the 5K.  I’ve spent quite a few hours working on the Kids’ Food Basket Charity Partnership, so by osmosis I have succumbed.  But I know I can do it.  The first 5K I ever ran was the 53 River Bank Run (then the Old Kent) in 1999.  I ran several more 5Ks that summer and then discovered I was pregnant in the late fall–explained why I’d been feeling too tired to run.  And I’ve only run one 5K since, as part of a mini-triathlon.

Yes, I can run because I have the luxury of doing so.  I have enough of everything else in my life, including food, that I’m choosing to give up a little sleep on behalf of the hungry children in my neighborhood and run for Kids’ Food Basket.  Will you join me?

HOW TO RUN THE FIFTH THIRD RIVER BANK RUN FOR KIDS' FOOD BASKET:

• Let us know you're running.  Email malinda@kidsfoodbasket.org.  The first 15 runners to email will receive a free entry form.
• Register to run.  You can fill out an online entry form. Designate Kids' Food Basket as your charity.
• Let your network of friends, family and colleagues know you are running for Kids' Food Basket.  They can donate on your behalf on our website. Or they can follow your journey on your own donation page.
• Run like you mean it and run to attack childhood hunger in Grand Rapids.

DON'T WANNA RUN?

• No worries.  Support KFB and our runners by following their stories and ours.
• Michelle McKormick is our Road Warrior.  Follow her exciting, humorous and heart-touching training.
• Donate to Kids' Food Basket.