I’m a very lucky person.

I’m lucky to have my health. I’m lucky to have amazing family and friends. I’m lucky to have a great job with an incredible organization. I’m lucky to be able to do the things that I want to do in life.

I’ve been dealing with an injury lately which has prevented me from running for over three weeks now. For me, not running sucks. It’s agonizing. I can’t imagine life without it. But so many people aren’t so lucky to be able to do the things they love in life. They aren’t sidelined for three measly weeks, but for years - or even life. Some are constrained physically or mentally. Others lack the resources or opportunities. And many face socioeconomic factors that prevent them from discovering their true self and pursuing their passions.

I run for me. I always have. It’s always been about challenging myself and proving to me what I’m capable of. But running has this incredible ability of rallying people together and getting them behind something. Terry Fox showed us this back in 1980. I’m not Terry Fox, but he is one of my heroes. All this to say that even though I run for me, sometimes it’s important to run for others - others who can’t.

The Beau’s Workplace Run-Off

Earlier this year, Ottawa Race Weekend announced a new program in conjunction with Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company challenging Ottawa area workplaces to help them raise $150,000 for local charities. It’s called the Beau’s Workplace Run-off.

As soon as I saw the program, I knew it was a good fit for my office. I work for CIRA, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority. We’re the folks that run the .CA domain name registry on behalf of all Canadians. As a national not-for-profit organization, we’re committed to doing our part in building a better, strong community across Canada - both online and offline. After all, “donate” is one of our three strategic pillars.

Team CIRA Runs

Knowing that many of my colleagues love to run, and that community investment is deeply ingrained in the culture of the organization, I created Team CIRA Runs. The team is made up of myself and eight other colleagues. Together we will be participating in the Beau’s Workplace Run-Off to raise money in support of the CHEO Foundation. Together, we're running in the marathon, half marathon, 10k and 5k. 

CHEO Foundation

If you’re from Ottawa or eastern Ontario, you’re likely very familiar with CHEO. For those of you who don’t know, CHEO (The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario) is a renowned, beloved community staple in Ottawa and the surrounding areas. They are a paediatric health and research centre that provides top-notch patient care to the children and families in our community. It’s hard to find someone in the Ottawa area that hasn’t had their lives touched in one way or another by the fine folks at CHEO. That's why we've chosen to support the CHEO Foundation for the Beau's Workplace Run-Off. 

How can you help?

There are many ways you can help us achieve our goal. The easiest way is to make a donation. How much? Whatever you feel comfortable with. Every little bit helps. Here are some tips:

• Instead of buying a Tim's coffee tomorrow morning, donate $2
• Rather than going out for a pint tonight, consider giving $7
• I'm running 42.2 km at the Ottawa Marathon, so match me with a $42.20 donation

We appreciate any contribution you can make. Don't feel like donating? That's fine. Do us a favour and spread the word. Send this along to your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbours.

You can make a donation here.

Thank you,

Jason