The Cowtown Marathon's C.A.L.F. (Children's Activities for Life and Fitness) Program has provided financial grants to low-income students across North Texas for eleven years. The C.A.L.F. grant includes a free pair of running shoes, socks and a reduced-entry-fee registration into our Kids 5K race.
Our staff and volunteers work tirelessly during the months of January and February of each year to visit approximately one hundred and twenty schools, fitting each student individually to make sure they have the right shoes to carry them across the finish line of our Cowtown Kids 5K Presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.
During the past decade, The Cowtown Marathon has given away more than 50,000 pairs of running shoes, thousands of pairs of socks, health and nutrition training, pedometers, and over $600,000 in monetary support to children in need. As The Cowtown Marathon mission statement says, "We believe a fit and active child will adopt healthy, life-long habits."
Seeing the children's faces at the start of their first Cowtown Kids 5K and watching them triumphantly cross the finish line is the perfect culmination of what The C.A.L.F. Program accomplishes each school year. It reminds the kids, teachers, parents and school coaches that we all START somewhere, and that we can all FINISH strong, no matter what challenges we face (physical, financial, academic, or otherwise).
C.A.L.F. Program year-round events include:
Fall/Spring school assemblies
Before/After-School Running Club Visits
CALF Race-1-mile, 5K (3.1 miles), or 10K (6.2 miles)-October 2022
Cowtown Kids 5K (3.1 miles) or 10K (6.2 miles)-February 25th, 2023
Summer Running Camp-2nd - 6th grade-Every June for two sessions
Financial support to help purchase training equipment and shoes for children in need. In addition, the C.A.L.F. Program is in need of a truck to pull trailer to visit local schools offering training programs and shoes.
The Cowtown C.A.L.F. (Children's Activities for Life & Fitness) Program promotes and educates children about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle through physical fitness and nutrition.
We believe that it is never too late to start living a healthier lifestyle, regardless of age, size, or background.
We believe a fit and active child will adopt healthy life-long habits.
We believe that community involvement is the key to our success.
Monetary support to help purchase shoes and socks for children in need.
Monetary support to cover transportation costs for delivery and fitting of shoes.
Ipads to assist with registering students at schools. Some schools do not have the equipment to register students electronically. It is our hope to purchase Ipads we can take to schools and assist in the registration process for the children.
The Cowtown Marathon supports the call for racial justice and social equity. We recognize that implicit and institutional racism obstructs the ability of those affected to enjoy full, active, and healthy lives. Therefore, we commit to listening, learning, and continuing to produce events that offer equitable opportunities to improve health for everyone.
Running has the unique ability to unite individuals regardless of career, age, culture, religion, political view, educational attainment, or level of ability. We manifest this each year as we gather 24,000 of our closest friends, 8,000 of them children, from around the world to run our two-day, seven-distance Cowtown Marathon. Running heals - it can improve both physical and mental health.1-2 Running can be a passion, a hobby you have in common with another human being, and it can build new relationships or keep old ones intact.3 Running is a life-long activity that can build self-esteem, confidence, and in turn respect for others.
The National Black Marathoners Association, a Texas-based non-profit, is an excellent resource for supporting running in the black community, learn more at http://blackmarathoners.org/. You may also want to visit Black Girls Run! a group that invites women of all races together to combat health disparities. https://blackgirlsrun.com/.
Citations:
1 Shaw KA, Gennat HC, O'Rourke P, Del Mar C. Exercise for overweight or obesity. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;(4). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003817.pub3
2 Cooney GM, Dwan K, Greig CA, et al. Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;(9). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004366.pub6
3 Christine Luff, Benefits of Group Running. Verywell Fit. 2020;Feb
Organization name
The Cowtown Marathon C.A.L.F. Program
Causes
Arts, Culture & Humanities, Community Improvement, Youth & Children
Operating Budget
$1,000,000 - $2,999,999
Counties Served
Denton, Hood, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Tarrant, Wise
BIPOC Leadership
Neither/None
Address
3584 S. Hills Avenue, Suite 21