(PRWEB) July 16, 2016 -- UNCF today announced that it will be championing education with several 5K walks throughout Milwaukee, Cleveland, Seattle and Detroit. These celebrations of education will bring together between 300 and 1,500 community supporters in each city during the months of July and August to raise vital funds needed to help students get to and through college.
“More than ever, students need a college education to be competitive and succeed in today’s global economy,” said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., president and CEO of UNCF. “By investing in our students now, through events like the UNCF Walk for Education, we are providing them with a path to success that will pay future dividends for them, their families and communities, and for all of us.”
Following are details about upcoming UNCF Walk events:
Milwaukee
• Milwaukee UNCF’s 32nd annual 5K Walk for Education will be held on Saturday, July 23, in Veterans Park on the lakefront. Registration for the walk begins at 8:30 a.m. Each year there is a reunion atmosphere as the children enjoy activities designed specifically for them, entertainment for everyone and, of course, awards for the runners and participating groups. A mini health fair will be in progress and everyone is welcome to enjoy the great picnic in the park. The event is a celebration of education that will bring together an estimated 800 community supporters with a goal of raising $250,000. UNCF events such as this have raised over $300,000 per year for students. For more information on the Milwaukee Walk for Education, please visit: http://uncf.org/events/event/MilwaukeeWalk
Cleveland
• Cleveland UNCF will be hosting its second annual 5K walk for education benefiting Ohio students on Saturday, July 23, at North Chagrin Reservation-Strawberry Fields at 8:30 a.m. The walk is chaired by Danyll Jones-Lockhart, the director of youth development and community engagement at Great Lakes Science Center. Proceeds from the walk will provide Ohio students with necessary resources to further their education. The grand marshals for this year’s signature event will be Rep. Stephanie Howse of Ohio’s 11th District and a graduate of historical black college and university Florida A&M University (FAMU); Basheer Jones, a graduate of UNCF-member institution Morehouse College; and Stacey Stoudemire, celebrity chef. Sponsors include Cleveland UNCF Inter-Alumni Council and Cleveland Council of Black Colleges Alumni Association. UNCF events such as this have raised over $130,000 per year for students, and this year the Cleveland office hopes to exceed previous totals. To register or more information, visit: http://www.uncf.org/events/event/clevelandwalk
Seattle
• The 23nd annual Seattle UNCF Walk, Run, Bike for Education will take place on Saturday, Aug. 13, at Othello Park. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. UNCF will partner with the annual Seattle Summer Parkway Program, which will shut down streets and encourage the neighborhood to come out and walk, run, bike and rollerblade for this celebration of education. UNCF will be providing the walk, BBQ cook-off and kid’s corner as a partner to provide programming for the city to help encourage turnout. UNCF events such as this one have produced over $570,000 per year in educational scholarships for Seattle students. This year’s fundraising goal for the Seattle UNCF walk is $40,000. To register, http://www.uncf.org/events/event/Seattlewalk
Detroit
• The Michigan UNCF walk for Education is a broad-based community fundraising event to support deserving Michigan students with financial assistance needed to reach their goals of going to and through college. The Detroit Walk has been the top fundraising UNCF walk for education nationally for five years; events like this have raised a combined total scholarship amount of over $886,000. This year’s 28th annual walk will take place on Saturday, Aug. 27, starting at 8 a.m. at the Belle Isle Casino. GM and Ford continue to participate as major sponsors, helping to further UNCF’s mission of providing quality education. For more information, please visit http://uncf.org/events/event/DetroitWalk
Follow these events across the nation @uncf #laceup4UNCF
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About UNCF
UNCF (the United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 21 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.
Cynetra Mcmillian, UNCF, http://www.uncf.org, +1 (202) 854.0007, [email protected]
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