200 runners braved a cool and damp Sunday (April 9) for the cause of helping end family violence at the first Legacy Endurance Run To End Family Violence in Airdrie.

The half marathon event started at 9:00 this morning, followed by the 10K and 5K runs at ten minute intervals after that.  Organizers capped the number of runners at 200.  The run was held to raise awareness and funds for Community Links and the Airdrie and Area Victims Assistance Society.

The 5K run was in memory of Andrea Conroy, a young lady from Airdrie who tragically died in 2012 in a family violence incident.  Rebecca Nielsen was a good friend of Andrea's and says because of her love for fitness and for the community, she would have liked the run being in her honour.

"She would be, probably somewhat embarrassed because she was a super private person, but she'd also be thrilled to know that the active community was out and making this run."

Nielsen says Andrea loved physical fitness and helping people achieve their fitness goals.  

Some may believe that there is a stereotypical "victim" of family violence.  Nielsen says that's just not so.  "Andrea was a beautiful, tall, blonde girl.  She was fit, she had a home, a daughter and a job.  She was someone that you never would have imagined if you had met her that this was something that was going to affect her.  There are people going through this in the community that you would walk up and meet them and never know that was the case.  It's important to know that it crosses socio-economic lines, all people in all walks of life can be affected."

Natasha Pearson works with Victims Services in Court Support and Administration.  She was pleased with the awarenss the run would create.  "It's a great way to create awareness and get everybody out for a good cause."

Victims Services provides short term support for victims of crime and tragedy and refers them to agencies that can help them with their situations and what they may be going through.

Although Laurie Jacobs-Toews of Community Links says this year the two groups didn't come away with a lot of money because of a lack of sponsors, they felt it was important to go ahead with the run anyway.  "There is so much community support behind the event it just seemed like we needed to make it happen and we hope that next year it will be bigger and better and more sponsors will want to come on next year and be part of it."

 

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