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|
Emily
Sauerteig
made a
resolution
to run
750
miles in
2012 and
to raise
funds
and
awareness
for
childhood
obesity.
|
Emily Sauerteig was
inspired when she
watched a friend set
and reach a goal to
run 500 miles in
2011. When the clock
struck midnight on
January 1 of this
year, she decided
that she, too, could
set a goal and
achieve it with
dedication and had
the support of
friends and family.
Sauerteig set a goal
to run 750 miles by
December 2012 and to
use her experience
to raise awareness
and money for a
cause. Almost
immediately she
focused on childhood
obesity.
"I began the year
with a resolution to
just run the miles,"
said Sauerteig.
"While my goal was
to fundraiser to
combat childhood
obesity during those
miles, my husband
and I agreed that I
needed to first run
the miles. The first
250 miles were for
myself. The second
250 miles were
dedicated to
friends. The final
250 miles are to
raise money and
awareness to combat
childhood obesity."
"Everyone should be
aware of the
childhood obesity
epidemic," Sauerteig
told PHWEEK. "It
affects everyone.
The mental health,
emotional health,
and physical health
of our youngest
generation is
significantly
impacted and so is
the future of our
country."
Sauerteig felt that
there was a natural
connection between
running and raising
awareness for
childhood obesity.
"Each of my strides
I take to reach 750
miles represent the
strides that we must
take to beat
childhood obesity
that threatens the
health of our
children, our
families, the next
generation, and our
country's future and
well being," said
Sauerteig.
By the end of the
year, Sauerteig
hopes to have run at
least 750 miles,
fostered community
involvement through
fundraising and
sponsorships, and
encouraged people to
take on a challenge
of their own.
"I have already
enlisted friends,
peers and neighbors
to join me next
year," said
Sauerteig. "People
don't have to pledge
to run 750 miles or
even 100 miles. I
just want to show
people that any
amount of activity
is great and that we
can all raise
awareness to combat
childhood obesity."
Sauerteig's journey
sounds huge, but she
does it in small
chunks by running a
few miles a day
outside or sneaking
in a treadmill run
while her daughter
naps. "It does not
have to be a huge
undertaking," said
Sauerteig.
Sauerteig shows that
anything can be
accomplished if you
continue to take
strides to complete
it. It is these
strides that will
add up overtime to
solve huge problems,
like childhood
obesity.
Sauerteig turned to
social media like
Facebook and
fundraising websites
to spread the word
about her journey
and to raise funds
for local
organizations that
work to stop
childhood obesity.
She named her effort
"Strides to Stop
Childhood Obesity"
and her websites are
www.firstgiving.com/.
. . /emilysauerteig
and
facebook.com/StridesToStopChildhoodObesity
-Story by Kimberly
Stringer, DPH
Communications
