Chris Kalil, a fourth year UW student, is running almost 50 kilometres to raise money for Stratford based charities, Shelterlink and House of Blessing. His run will take place on April 5, from the University of Waterloo headquarters to the Stratford campus on St. Patrick Street.
Kalil, who is studying global business and digital arts, has been preparing for the feat by practicing running and cardio. “A couple of days ago, I ran 30 kilometres, and I have been running with my friends,” he said, adding that he has been swimming for extra cardio.
He has experience running long distances – his first charity run taking place in early 2023, where he ran around 80 kilometres for 24 hours, with breaks in between, to raise money to help families affected by the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey. In October 2023, he ran again to raise money for clean drinking water in Indigenous communities.
When asked why he decided to do this run, Kalil said, “I want to help the homeless population in the Stratford area. I want to give back to the community I have been calling home for the past three years.” He also wants to promote the idea that hope does pay off, adding that, “when interacting with my peers, there has been a lot of cynicism. I want to make sure we are more positive and keep our hopes up.”
Mark Byerley, information technology support specialist at the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business, will ride his bike alongside him on the run, while Stratford Mayor Martin Ritsma plans to join Kalil for some of the route.
