[Nfbmo] We had a very successful Run for Sight event

[Daniel Garcia]

As you know, members of the NFB of Missouri are currently participating in the National Fitness Challenge sponsored by the United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Anthem Foundation. To meet this challenge, we participated in the Delta Gamma Run for Sight which was put on by the Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments. This event is a 5k run and 2 mile walk and is Delta Gamma's largest yearly fundraiser.

In addition to members of the Lewis & Clark Chapter there were participants from the Columbia Chapter and the Kansas City Chapter. Jeff Giffen and I were the members representing Kansas City. We arrived in St Louis on Saturday afternoon by train. Robin House and Christopher Tisdale met us there and we walked to our hotel which was only about 2 blocks away. After dropping off our stuff, the four of us decided to find the corner of South 8th Street and Clark Avenue were the event was to take place the next day. Since it was only a half a mile away, we decided to walk there. This way, Jeff and I would know how to get there the next day. We then decided to try to walk around Busch stadium, but we were not able to do this due to many dead end streets, fences, and a highway. We eventually made our way to a restaurant called Patio's which has very good food. A little structured discovery can always make for a fun evening.

The next day, Jeff and I were at the meeting place at about 7:30 a.m. The local participants started to arrive by various means of transportation, including Uber and the city's Metro link, which is a commuter rail line. Our Columbia members arrived at about 8:30 just in time to start the race at 9 a.m. We had about 16 or 17 members on the ground ready to take on the challenge. At 9 a.m. we started walking and running. After the event was over, we took various pictures with many people's cell phones. There was also a professional picture taken by Delta Gamma and I am told it is now on their Facebook page. 

A few of us National Fitness Challenge participants then went to the Hard Rock Café for lunch. Our train ride back to Kansas City was a fine and uneventful one. I am resting today, not walking as much as I have been walking these past few days.

The challenge continues until November 30. But even after this challenge is officially over, I will continue to walk more than before. This challenge has changed my life for the better and I am glad to be a part of it.

Best Regards

Daniel Garcia