For years, the men and women’s track teams have participated in a Fund Run in order to raise money for new equipment. This year the team opened up their hearts and decided to run for children devastated by the tsunami disaster.

“We just decided this year to donate to a good cause,” sophomore sprinter Brian Platt said.

The team planned on donating the first $2,500 raised to the relief organization UNICEF. Head Coach John Curtin said the decision came from a consensus of the entire team that helping in a disaster of this magnitude should be the focus of the team’s fund raising.

Athletes from the respective track teams were looking for a venue in which they could do their part for the relief effort.

“We had planned to do the Fund Run primarily as a fund- raiser for our team to upgrade our uniforms and purchase a new team record board,” Curtin said. “But when the tsunami disaster took place, all of us — coaches and athletes, alike — felt that helping those victimized by the tsunami was where the focus of our fund- raising efforts should go.”

Each team member solicited sponsors that would donate a specific amount for each lap (400 meters) completed during the one-hour run.

Curtin wanted to get 100 percent participation by the team, which did not just include long distance runners, but also jumpers, throwers and sprinters.

“Our Fund Run is a small gesture given the magnitude of this disaster, but I am proud of our kids for stepping up and doing what they can,” Curtin said.

Senior runner Angela Davie felt this was the most important cause the team could run for.

“If I ran for something, I’d want to run for this,” Davie said.

When the run was completed the team had raised $3,850 for UNICEF, and while the team did not get their new record board, they knew that helping with the tsunami relief effort was too important to ignore.

“We’d like to have a new record board, but we can wait,” Curtin said. “We’re more passionate about this. I’m really happy the kids did this.”