Morrison-Maierle Running Club Raises $6K for Youth Homes
By Chad Taylor, PE
Last fall, a spirited cohort in Morrison-Maierle’s Missoula office started a running club that set out at noon each Friday on jaunts around town. Inspired by running club camaraderie and a desire to build better communities—three regulars of the club, Chandra Smith, Kaity Clements, and myself formed a Run 4 Kids team.
Run 4 Kids is a fundraiser for Youth Homes, an organization that cares for children who are facing abuse, neglect, emotional trauma, and substance abuse problems. Similar to a jog-a-thon for adults, teams gather pledges to run or walk one of the Missoula Marathon events.
Although COVID-19 threw a bit of wrench into the works, and the Marathon switched to a virtual event, we continued to fundraise like mad. On May 7 alone, we inspired our friends, coworkers, and families to donate $2,500. This feat was amplified by a matching donation associated with Missoula Gives, the annual day of giving. In the end, our team ended up raising $6,100 for Youth Homes (the most of any fundraising team).
At Morrison-Maierle, we believe “building better communities” can manifest itself in a variety of ways. We are honored to support vulnerable youth in the area.
Chad Taylor, PE, is a Senior Structural Engineer and Project Manager. Since 2016 he has served as the Aid Station Coordinator for the Missoula Marathon and this January joined the Run Wild Missoula Board of Directors.
