iRun For Them
Caleb Elliott is a 15-year-old who has a heart for adoption. He has planned a run to raise support and funds for four families – including his own – who are in the process of adopting children from the U.S. and abroad.
Caleb’s “iRun For Them” will take place on Saturday, September 29, starting at 8 a.m. He will start at First Christian Church (3638 Middle Urbana Road), making his way around Buck Creek State Park and down Home Road to the old Springfield Children’s Home near Springfield High School. Caleb’s desire to run two miles for each of the six children being adopted led him to design this route, which is nearly 13 miles.
His plan to run just shy of a half-marathon is all the more impressive considering that Caleb was born with a heart defect and “coded” when he was just four hours old. At just six days old, he underwent open heart surgery that saved his life. Today, he is healthy and active, and runs regularly. He completed his second triathlon in August, and has run as far as eight miles to date. Now, he is looking forward to the longest and most meaningful run of his life.
The Elliott family had been thinking of adoption for a long time, and over the past couple of years, Caleb and his mother had begun talking more and more about it. Recently, the whole family agreed that there could be no better time. They started applying to adoption agencies in July, but were told that with such a large family already, they might have a long wait to be selected. To their surprise and joy, they were “matched” in late August with an expectant mother whose baby girl will become part of their family.
The Elliotts and three other local families have all signed up with a nonprofit program called Adopt Together, which helps families raise funds to cover some of the costs of adoption. They have scheduled a fundraising event at Fellowship Christian Church at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, September 21, featuring a night of worship, fun, food and a silent auction. Caleb was inspired to do something on his own to help, which is how the idea for “iRun For Them” was born.
All four families for whom Caleb is fundraising live in the Springfield area. Three of the families are already blessed with six children each, and are each adopting one child. The fourth family has three children and is adopting three more.
• Bryan and Gretchen Elliott are adopting a little girl from the United States.
• Jim and Michele Bard are adopting a little girl from Ethiopia.
• Craig and Jennie Hamstra are adopting three children from the Philippines.
• Rob and Donna King are adopting a child from the United States.
Caleb has been working to get donations from individuals and families, as well as sponsorships from local businesses for his run. His sponsors to date include Elliott Insurance, Roger Storer & Son Inc., David E. Garrett Jewelers, Mershon’s, Roger’s Garage, Miller Meats, Yost Superior Co. and Lower Valley Furniture.
Caleb is working with Adopt Together to ensure that all the funds he raises will be divided equally among the four local families. For more information, call the Elliotts at (937) 964-9644. Those interested in sponsoring Caleb’s run can make checks payable to Adopt Together and mail to:
Adopt Together
c/o Caleb Elliott
2848 Myers Road
Springfield OH 45502
Caleb’s “iRun For Them” will take place on Saturday, September 29, starting at 8 a.m. He will start at First Christian Church (3638 Middle Urbana Road), making his way around Buck Creek State Park and down Home Road to the old Springfield Children’s Home near Springfield High School. Caleb’s desire to run two miles for each of the six children being adopted led him to design this route, which is nearly 13 miles.
His plan to run just shy of a half-marathon is all the more impressive considering that Caleb was born with a heart defect and “coded” when he was just four hours old. At just six days old, he underwent open heart surgery that saved his life. Today, he is healthy and active, and runs regularly. He completed his second triathlon in August, and has run as far as eight miles to date. Now, he is looking forward to the longest and most meaningful run of his life.
The Elliott family had been thinking of adoption for a long time, and over the past couple of years, Caleb and his mother had begun talking more and more about it. Recently, the whole family agreed that there could be no better time. They started applying to adoption agencies in July, but were told that with such a large family already, they might have a long wait to be selected. To their surprise and joy, they were “matched” in late August with an expectant mother whose baby girl will become part of their family.
The Elliotts and three other local families have all signed up with a nonprofit program called Adopt Together, which helps families raise funds to cover some of the costs of adoption. They have scheduled a fundraising event at Fellowship Christian Church at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, September 21, featuring a night of worship, fun, food and a silent auction. Caleb was inspired to do something on his own to help, which is how the idea for “iRun For Them” was born.
All four families for whom Caleb is fundraising live in the Springfield area. Three of the families are already blessed with six children each, and are each adopting one child. The fourth family has three children and is adopting three more.
• Bryan and Gretchen Elliott are adopting a little girl from the United States.
• Jim and Michele Bard are adopting a little girl from Ethiopia.
• Craig and Jennie Hamstra are adopting three children from the Philippines.
• Rob and Donna King are adopting a child from the United States.
Caleb has been working to get donations from individuals and families, as well as sponsorships from local businesses for his run. His sponsors to date include Elliott Insurance, Roger Storer & Son Inc., David E. Garrett Jewelers, Mershon’s, Roger’s Garage, Miller Meats, Yost Superior Co. and Lower Valley Furniture.
Caleb is working with Adopt Together to ensure that all the funds he raises will be divided equally among the four local families. For more information, call the Elliotts at (937) 964-9644. Those interested in sponsoring Caleb’s run can make checks payable to Adopt Together and mail to:
Adopt Together
c/o Caleb Elliott
2848 Myers Road
Springfield OH 45502
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