Team World Vision

Team World Vision is a fundraising program of humanitarian organization World Vision that equips individuals to raise money for World Vision projects. Currently, Team World Vision's has the most participants at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, but athletes are able to participate in any athletic event in the United States in order to raise money for World Vision. Unlike most large charity runner organizations Team World Vision does not pay for team member's race entry fees, jerseys or transportation, nor does Team World Vision have a fundraising minimum for most events.

History

Team World Vision began in 2005 under the direction of (current National Director) Michael Chitwood. Chitwood has stated that his life was changed physically, emotionally, and spiritually after running his first marathon, and felt called to start a team that could bring that experience to more people and help to people in poverty around the world.

In 2006, Team World Vision had just over 100 runners in the Chicago Marathon, and in 2007 they had almost 500. Team World Vision has more than 1,000 runners signed up for the 2008 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, where they aim to raise 1.5 million dollars. The majority of the sum has been earmarked to help provide clean water and sanitation to communities in Zambia.

Cause

While all of the money raised by Team World Vision athletes goes to furthering the work of Christian humanitarian agency World Vision, each race has a specific focus. A majority of funds raised at the Chicago Marathon will go towards clean water projects in Africa, whereas Team World Vision runners at the Miami Marathon will raise funding for Children in Crisis in Latin America.

Advocates

Olympic marathoner Ryan Hall and his wife Sara (who is also a professional runner) are Team Captains for Team World Vision. In a New Yorker article published on August 11, 2008, Ryan and Sara Hall talk about Team World Vision with author Peter Hessler:

"We kind of see the money we have as God’s money,” Sara told me. They supported a Christian charity called Team World Vision, which gets entrants to the country’s major marathons to raise money for development projects in Africa."

Other professional runners who advocate for Team World Vision include Ethiopian marathoning couple, Gezahegne Abera (2000 Olympic marathon winner) and Elfenesh Alem, Josh Cox (American marathoner), and Jose Munoz (winner, 2007 P.F. Chang's half marathon).

External links

* [http://www.teamworldvision.org Team World Vision]
* [http://www.ryanhall.org RyanHall.org]
* [http://www.chicagomarathon.com/CMS400Min/Chicago_Marathon/giving_back/index.aspx?id=530 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Charity Program]
* [http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/08/11/080811fa_fact_hessler Biographical article from the New Yorker]
* [http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=28759 Baptist Press: God's call motivates marathoner in Beijing]
* [http://www.worldvision.org World Vision]
* [http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2004/04/18/run_for_the_money/?page=1 Criticism of Charity Runners]