The Nanaimo Chapter of Runners of Compassion is a group of people who have stopped running for time and started running for others, specifically for women and children in need.

Rob Reid started the Runners of Compassion concept in Victoria several years ago raising money for a Tibetan Relief fund. Dan Brady was one of those runners. A year or two after Dan moved to Nanaimo, he started training to run marathons and soon his fellow marathon runners became the founding members of Runners of Compassion Nanaimo.

At first thirty people expressed an interest in the concept, ten volunteered to form a society and hold positions on a board, and six turned out for the first trail run at Westwood Lake. Four years later well over 200 people are part of the group making it the second largest running organization on the Island.

Dan Brady credits the rapid growth of the group to two things: first, they are the only organized group in the Mid Island region that runs trails and second, the members are excited about the opportunity to support good causes through running.

Another thing members appreciate, Dan told me, is that although people know each other as running friends, most of them don’t know each other’s last name or what they do for a living. Everyone loves running and is passionate about the idea that they can help others while doing it. That’s it. They run, get together for a coffee afterwards, and organize fundraising events to raise money for their charities of choice.

In 2002 they organized their first event, the Linley Valley Trail Run. Sixty people entered at $20 a head and they raised their first $800 for charity. Since then they have become a co-sponsor of the GutBuster Trail Run in Nanaimo, which includes everything from a 5 K event to a Half Marathon, and they also host the Daily News Nanaimo Half Marathon every year. On top of that, they volunteer to help out with just about every other running event that happens in the Mid Island Region.

But running events are just part of what they do to raise money. They also sell running related clothing, organize occasional running and biking clinics, golf tournaments, auctions, and Christmas parties with all proceeds going to their fundraising account. They even produced a cookbook a few years ago, and in partnership with 24 Hour Catering, sell Runners of Compassion Energy Bars, the sale of which recently raised $1,000.

Over the past three years they have raised over $70,000 through these events.

Members also do more than fundraising to help out in the community. Recently the Salvation Army needed a large number of things moved, a task they thought would take most of the day to accomplish. When the RoC volunteers turned out, all in great shape, the task was completed in less than an hour.

If the lack of family resources is a barrier, the Runners for Kids program helps kids participate in school and community sports. The group also supports the 7-10 Club, Loaves and Fishes, Nanaimo Food Share, the Hospital Foundation, the Bikes for Tikes program, the Nanaimo Women’s Resource Centre, the Quarterway Breakfast program, Haven House, Willow House, and more.

This year they have also started to fund two $1,000 scholarships for needy students who want to continue on to post secondary education.

Lisa Crucil, this year’s president told me, “We can’t do anything unless we have a team of enthusiastic members and sponsors with us, and we have a great team. Without our sponsors, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do.”

If you would like to join the group or contact them regarding potential support for your family or organization, go to their web site at www.runnersofcompassion.com for more information.