- Capital City Kiwanis Club hosted its 41st Annual Firecracker 5k, benefiting the community.
- Money raised will help provide school supplies to students across our neighborhoods and fund more community service events.
- Watch the video to hear how the fundraiser is helping families amid inflation on school expenses.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
As inflation puts pressure on the cost of education, neighbors in Southeast Tallahassee are taking literal steps to help. I'm Kenya Cardonne, your neighborhood reporter. I'm finding out how a race in July is designed to help kids this fall.
Leonardo Canete, Runner - "Me pone feliz que esta carrera, el dinero que se recauda, es para ayudar en programas escolares."
Neighbor Leonardo Canete, one of 500 runners at the Firecracker 5k, tells me being a part of a race that is helping raise money for our schools makes him happy.
The Cascades Park event was organized by the Capital City Kiwanis Club, an organization that takes the heart and pride of community service to the student clubs in schools across our neighborhoods such as the Key Club, Builders Club and K-Kids Club.
Club President Jim Ledbetter tells me their goal was to raise $12,000.
Jim Ledbetter, President of Capital City Kiwanis Club - "The money we raise will go to our Title 1 schools, which are also part of the schools that we support through our service leadership programs."
Organizers say the help is especially needed as families prepare for the upcoming school year, facing the burden of inflation on the cost of education and supplies.
According to a JLL report, parents nationwide plan to spend 21.8% more on back-to-school shopping this year.
Community fundraisers like these are helping take the edge off.
Anagha Mundrathi, Rickards High School Graduate - "There's no large burden on one person. It's more of a community effort."
Organizers say the money will help to provide school supplies, hygiene products and clothing to students in these clubs.
It will also go towards scholarships for graduating students at Godby, Rickards and Lincoln High School this school year.
Ledbetter - "It all is a big cycle. The more money we raise, the more events we can do, the more service projects we can do and the more good we can do in the community.
Most importantly, it will help fund their mission of teaching students how to give back to their community.
Yolanda Barnes, Teacher at Ruediger Elementary School- "This allows them to understand that it's better to give than it is to receive and for them to feel that sense of pride of knowing that they've made a difference and they've helped somebody."
Ledbetter - "We're seeing these generations that are coming up are very desiring of having those opportunities to learn how to help others in their community and not just in their school but in their broader community— their neighborhood."
This is the Kiwanis Club's 41st Annual Firecracker 5k, benefiting the community.
In Southeast Tallahassee, Kenya Cardonne, ABC 27
