Winnipeg runner holds annual event run for charity

Boxing day usually means some shopping or spending time with family, but not for Junel Malapad. No, he’s out running for 12 hours straight raising money and getting donation items, with all proceeds going to Siloam Mission in Winnipeg.

“So, this is something I’ve been doing since 2015. The first year I just ran for fun, you know, running a long time is fun. But the next year, I learned about somebody freezing to death in a bus shack in Winnipeg. And I felt that people should not be freezing to death. So, I learned that Siloam Mission has been helping out the most people who need, so that’s why I’m helping out,” said Malapad.

The annual event has become a big day for the local running community. 

Dozens of runners came out to join Malapad, and to donate, a big reason why he’s already gotten so close to his fundraising goal.

“I’m happy to say we’ve raised about nine thousand dollars. Half of that from a great contribution from access storage, five thousand dollars.  But you know everything helps, five bucks, two bucks, whatever. So, the goal is 10 thousand dollars this years, over the years we’ve raised over 112 thousand dollars to help out what they do at Siloam Mission, so yeah that’s the goal,” said Malapad

“Theres a lot of us who want to do something but don’t know where to start. So, he’s able to get a big community together, and get us all together and give us a list of things that are needed and ways that we can support. And I think  human beings want to help, but they just don’t know how, and he’s enabled all of us to come together and contribute in some way, and I think its beautiful,” said Libby Lee, Malapad’s friend.

Though the running was just for the day, the donation page, which can be found on the Siloam Mission website, will be open for another week for those looking to support.