It Takes A Village Run Raises Funds for Girls

At 3:00pm on Sunday, April 13, a crowd of excited athletes and volunteers gathered at the Equestrian Center. They were there to participate in IT TAKES A VILLAGE RUN for a benefit race for Woody’s House of Hope, a home for teenage girls who want to further their education.

MC and Skye Wickyord, the event organizers, fought back tears as they spoke about the House, the girls who live and thrive there, and the people and businesses in Coronado who came together to make the race the possible.

After a quick Zumba-dancing warm-up, 37 kids ran the 1K race to get the afternoon going. After they finished, 44 adults took off on the 5K and 10K routes. Water stations were strategically placed along the path that wound up past the Coronado International School and back toward Coronado Bay before a small detour through the neighborhood and back to the Equestrian Center. Luckily, Coronado had its first predominantly overcast day in a while, and the runners and walkers enjoyed slightly more comfortable temperatures.

Back at home base, the finishers were met with cold water, fresh fruit, and cupcakes (hey, if you run a 10K, you deserve a treat!) and had the opportunity to bid on a variety of wonderful items, donated by local businesses and individuals, in a silent auction. The excitement continued as the day wound down, with participants and spectators alike raving about how much fun they had.

And the best part? The event raised more than $3500 for Woody’s House of Hope. If it takes a village to raise a child, Coronado and its residents are stepping confidently into that role.
For girls growing up in Panama's orphanages, time's a tickin' -- when you turn 16, you're out, no matter what may or may not be waiting for you in the real world. Often, this means a home on the street and little hope for education or a promising future. Recognizing the rough road ahead for these girls, Marie Claire (MC) Beauvil founded JLM Woody's House of Hope. It's not only a place where each girl's basic needs are met while she is enrolled in college, it's a home -- possibly the first real home some of these young women have ever had. There are currently three residents in the house, with room for up to 16 girls whose lives will be forever changed.

Of course, it takes resources to properly care for that many young women, and the community came together to make that happen at the first annual It Takes a Village Panama fun run/walk.

 For more information about JLM Woody's House of Hope or to find out how you can contribute, contact MC at jlmchristianfoundation@gmail.com.