Platte River Fitness Series hosts the 2nd Annual Kevin Kennedy 5K – KNOP

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) – Platte River Fitness had partnered with Lincoln County CASA for several years for a race, but after the passing of a long time volunteer began not only benefitting Lincoln County Casa but remembering a life.

Kevin Kennedy was a long time volunteer of the Platte River Fitness Series and was also a Board Member at Lincoln County CASA. So, for two year’s now after Kennedy’s passing the race that benefits Lincoln County CASA has been named in remembrance of him. Founder and Director of The Platte River Fitness Series, Trudy Merritt, says out of all of the organization’s Kennedy volunteered with CASA was one that he felt very strongly about.

“This is the second year that the race, which used to be call the CASA Superhero Race, was transformed in his honor. And so this will be the second year that he will be the name sake of the race,” says Merritt.

Lincoln County CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. These are volunteers in the community that help children in the Foster Systen in Lincoln County during their times of need and while going through all of their court hearings. Some of the proceeds from the race will go directly to CASA, helping them get advocates in the community for children in the Foster Care System. According to Deirdre Nichelson, the Executive Director and Volunteer Coordinator at Lincoln County CASA, not only does it help recruit advocates, but it also helps in buying supplies that Foster Children might need when they are placed into new homes, such as, clothes and school supplies.

“Well we use the funds to advocate and to recruit more people. We always need advocates. We have waiting children who need advocates. We provide training and support. And then we also support the children through operation suitcase when they’re placed in care. We give them supplies, we give foster parents the needed things from car seats, to diapers, to clothing for the children, school supplies those sorts of things we can help with that. And then just to make sure that our kids have the one on one support that they need through their advocate, their personal relationship with them, all of that is supported through public donation and grant money because we are a non-profit organization,” explains Nichelson.

To register to run in the Kevin Kennedy 5K and Mile Run on April 9th there are three different ways you can sign up; by visiting platteriverfitness.com, filling out a paper entry at the North Platte Rec Center, or registering the day of the race at the race site, Iron Horse Park, beginning at 4:00 o’clock.

But running in the race isn’t the only way you can get involved to help with Lincoln County CASA, you can also become an advocate for a child. For more information on how to become an advocate you can visit the Lincoln County CASA website at http://www.lincolncountycasa.org/

Copyright 2022 KNOP. All rights reserved.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/KnShsag
via IFTTT