Community

Running to raise funds for mental health

Event took place in the back country of a local neighbourhood

Out in the backcountry of the Wilden neighbourhood, the Wild One Run returned after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

The 5th annual race included a 1 km, 5 km, or 10 km run on steep gravel roads and single-track dirt trails, all in support of the Blenk Family Fund for youth mental health.

The fund was established with the KGH Foundation to boost the number of services available to young people and families in the community.

CEO of Wilden Group, Karin Eger-Blenk, told Kelowna10 they focus specifically on youth because of the modern challenges they face today.

“We’re supporting youth because they are our future and it’s a challenging time for young people,” she said. “There’s a lot of negativities in the media, so we need to do something so our youth can develop a stable mental health and be the foundation of our future.”

For the past two years, the event was held through a virtual run which Eger-Blenk said was very successful, with people participating for the cause from all over Canada.

There were a variety of racers, from those who ran the 10 km as fast as they could, to those who took their dogs on the 5 km route.

But it’s having everyone together in-person that makes this year's run special.

“We’re so happy to be back with a community event where we can gather and be together, it’s just more fun,” she said. “We get to meet the people living in Wilden, as well as people all over Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley that just like to be here.”

Last year the event raised around $15,000 for the Blenk Family Fund.

Published 2022-09-18 by Connor Chan

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