Longmont Firefighters helping orphans

Longmont Firefighters helping orphans.

The Orphan’s Bridge Shoreline 5K

Two Longmont firefighters are trying to make life better for orphans.Jeff Moll and Jeff Peterson are career firefighters with the Longmont Fire Department.The two firefighters are organizing the third annual Orphan's Bridge Shoreline 5K to raise funds for orphans in need.

Moll, an avid runner himself, came up with the idea for the 5k race as a fundraiser.Moll has run several marathons and even a 50 mile mountain endurance race.He wanted to create a fun race where families could run or walk together and enjoy a great morning around the lake. All proceeds go to orphans in need.

Peterson, his wife Katie and a few family members founded Orphan's Bridge, an orphan relief effort, after a trip to central Mexico in 2007.The idea for the organization came while on a humanitarian trip near the Sierra Madre mountains in Mexico. The group spent three days at an orphanage working on the facilities and playing with the kids. "we warned ourselves not to become attached" Peterson said, but that was impossible.He continued "These bright energetic kids, through no fault of their own, live inside these four grey walls, malnourished and with little chance to ever improve their life.We just wanted to enrich their lives. We want to give them a chance at a successful life".

Orphan’s Bridge provides support for children’s centersin Longmont, Denver and in Mexico."We are looking forward to start working in Haiti in 2013" Peterson said.This race will help reach that goal. A trip to Haiti in 2011 was a life changing event for Peterson "we don't realize how wealthy we are here in the USA, I was able to visit families that lived in an 8 foot by 8 foot tin shed with no furniture or beds.I visited an orphanage where 12 boys slept on a rough concrete floor. They would roll out a rug at bed time and all curl up together to stay warm."Haiti was devastated by an earthquake in January of 2010. The orphan population grew from 300,000 to over a 1,000,000 in that disaster. Progress has been slow in Haiti and only 50 percent of promised aid has been delivered.

The main focus of Orphan's Bridge is education, facility improvements and basic needs.This year they are providing scholarships for students to continue their education, sponsoring a tutoring program to help students prepare for the new school year, plus providing basic needs for the homes such as food and clothing.Orphan’s Bridge hopes to expand their work to more orphanages in needy areas of the world.

Come join us on August 25 at 8:00.Run or walk this fun event located at picturesque McIntosh Lake in Longmont. Help us help kids.You can run or walk and if you want to help more you can collect donations for the cause.Participants can work alone or in groups to raise donations.The person or group that raises the most donations wins a Suite at the Pepsi Center for a Nuggets game or an Avalanche game.The suite holds 20 people and is valued at up to $4,000 dollars.

Registration is at     http://www.runningguru.com/EventInformation.asp?eID=3601

There are trophies for the fastest participants in each category, plus great prizes for those who raise the most donations.

Orphan's Bridge

PO Box 223

Louisville, CO 80027      303 665 2863         www.theorphansbridge.org

Jeff Moll Longmont 720 652 6406

Jeff Peterson Lafayette 720 323 2422