On Sunday, October 6, 2018, more than 44,000 runners will gather in downtown Chicago to race a grandiose 26.2 miles for the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Olivet Nazarene University’s 40 runners will be wearing the trademark Team World Vision bright orange and white jersey for the race.
In its inaugural Chicago Marathon run in 2006, Team World Vision (TWV) consisted of 100 runners. For the 2018 event, TWV is the largest charity team with more than 1,800 runners.
Olivet alumnus and former Tiger football player Michael Chitwood ’93 founded TWV in 2006 as a fundraising focus for World Vision. Alumnus Rusty Funk ’07 currently serves as TWV’s national director and heads up a staff of 24. He was the recipient of Olivet’s 2015 Young Alumni Award.
Mike and Rusty first ran together with TWV in the 2009 Chicago Marathon. That was the beginning of many running challenges they have conquered together — including a 56-mile ultramarathon and a 100-mile race in Africa — with TWV.
Running this year with TWV is Sarai Guerrero, a senior majoring in public relations and strategic communication, president of her senior class and captain for Team Olivet. As she gears up for the big day, she expresses her passion for the cause and explains why she’s choosing to run this marathon for a second time.
“I’m running so that those children and families don’t have to walk the long distances for water,” Sarai says. “This is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done, and there’s no way I could do it alone. I’ve had to lean on God every step of the way. I am so excited to see what the Lord will do through Team Olivet and through Team World Vision this year!”
Learn more about Team Olivet here.
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities around the globe to reach their full potential by overcoming poverty and injustices. It is the largest non-governmental provider of clean water in the world. Last year, the organization was able to reach over 4.6 million new people with clean water.
World Vision offers various ways for individuals and communities to come together and make a difference in the world. One of the biggest events is the Chicago Marathon with TWV.
What makes World Vision stand out from the rest is, instead of just giving communities the water they need, they also build and maintain sustainable infrastructures that provide communities with clean water for the rest of their lives. According to World Vision, this approach tackles the root causes of poverty, enabling children to experience the fullness of life.
Photo of Sarai Guerrero submitted and used with permission.
Published: 10/5/2018
