Vibha 5K, an event to support the cause of underprivileged children in India and USA, is aptly called the PAVE A PATH Run/Walk. In its seventh year and counting, this event has become a trailblazer in the Atlanta community calendar! More than 500 participants and 100 volunteers gathered on a bright Saturday morning on September 24th with a purpose and a clear vision that the small steps they take that morning will bring the moon to many a needy child. The carnival atmosphere, the family participation, and the buzzing about of committed volunteers were all a reaffirmation of continued support from the Atlanta community at large. The pledge drive associated with the Vibha Run/Walk is still going on, and you are requested to make your donation at http://atlanta.vibha.org/vibhawalk/pledge.php. This is truly a deserving cause.

The 5K Run and 5K Walk were the main events for the day. The race route took the runners and walkers over the Yellow Bridge on 17th street across InterState-85, providing a picturesque setting of the skyline of the downtown Atlanta.

Energetic volunteers of Vibha and members of India Club at Georgia Tech were seen milling around the race venue as early as 5 AM that morning. Students from Georgia Tech and other young professionals from all over Atlanta came together to pull off the event in a spectacular fashion. With the runners and walkers starting to stream in by seven in the morning, Kristin Menapace from Muscle Activation Therapy and Fitness got the crowd and the participants going with an aerobic workout.

The 5K Run was kicked-off by Ms. Laxmi Parmeswar, Executive Director of the North Fulton Child Development Association, one of the local partners for the walk. Closely following this, Ruth Woodling, from the Make A Wish Foundation of Georgia and Alabama, another local project supported by Vibha, flagged off the 5K Walk at 8.45AM. It didn't take much longer to see the first runner come blazing in - Tim Koehier with an amazing timing of 18 minutes 11 seconds, cheered in to the chute by the crowd. Jon Comeau followed at 18 minutes 29 seconds. Not much further behind, Tashawn L. Howell came in to be the first woman finisher of the race at 21 minutes 20 seconds, closely followed by Stephanie Gillies at 21 minutes and 58 seconds.

Neeraj Basanda won the Vibha 5K Walk for Men with a timing of 38:20 followed by Shiv Udutha at 38:53. Madhuri Vemulapalli (39:35) regained the trophy for the 5K Walk for Women while Akua Asa Awuka (40:17) took the second place. Results for all individual age categories and exciting event photos can be seen at http://atlanta.vibha.org/vibhawalk.

While the casual walkers and runners slowly made it to the finish line, the carnival atmosphere started to settle in with toddlers as young as two years participating in the 50 Meter Dash! It was a sight to be remembered indeed, with parents and friends cheering them on from the sidelines.

The prize distribution ceremonies ensued; Anurag Goel, one of the event coordinators, thanked all the participants and emphasized the need to do more for the underprivileged children of India. Through the resources raised at the Vibha 5K in Atlanta, we hope to support three projects for an entire year, and that means several hundred children being given hope for their future, Goel said. The Chief Guest for the day, Ms. Ayesha Khanna, the Chief Operating Officer of United Way of Atlanta, congratulated all the volunteers and participants and gave away the prizes. She related the work of Vibha with a few personal examples that she came across while working with rural children in India, and urged the audience to support Vibha's cause.

Ashwini Sinha was recognized with an Outstanding Volunteer award for his untiring commitment and dedication towards Vibha's cause and his efforts to make all the fundraisers successful over the last three years.

It was quite touching to note the efforts of two young boys who tried to make a difference by raising resources on their own. While Trent Council (aged 8) raised and donated $200 to Vibha before the event, Rishi Mocherla (aged 7) sold milkshakes at the event and raised $140 towards the cause. These young boys seem to be echoing what Vinay Uchil, one of the volunteers said in his remarks about volunteering for Vibha - “To be privileged is not a gift but a responsibility - a responsibility to give back to the children of our society.

Vibha thanks all its sponsors: Manhattan Associates, Vigilar, ASAP, Primus software, Equifax, Charter Global, American Telugu Association, Shalini Financial Services, Pyramid Consulting, Future Tech Consulting, Delta Information Systems, Proactive Resources, Khabar, Andy's Indian Grill, Sanket Systems, Allied Informatics, Zee TV, NetIP, Synergy America, Coke, Kroger, Citadel Healthcare, Deloitte, Aleksa Designs, Indo American Charitable Trust, IndiaGlitz, Rivaaz, and George Willy and Associates.

In addition to Atlanta, the Vibha Walk/Run is also being conducted this year at Dallas, Austin, San Francisco, Washington DC and Minneapolis. The funds raised from this national event will support annual budgets of several projects in India. Currently, Vibha supports 32 projects in India and 4 projects in USA. The target for this year is to support between 35 and 40 projects in India. For a complete list of projects, their budgets, and to better understand the work being done by these grassroots projects, please visit www.vibha.org/projects.

Please pledge online at http://atlanta.vibha.org/vibhawalk/pledge.php. A small step by you will create a giant leap for a child's future!

Vibha - A Brighter Future for Children