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On Sunday, May 13, 2012, thousands of runners gathered for the tenth annual Solidarity Marathon. A charity event hosted in the prestigious Palermo Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Over the past eleven years more than 90,000 runners have taken part in this important event and have raised an incredible sum of over US$850,000. |
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The entire business community was invited to participate; including employees, families, friends, top local companies, universities, disabled runners’ associations and media representatives. All participants and their relatives were encouraged to wear their company's colors and logos as they ran to raise funds for the hospitals. This year's Marathon event raised the bar; more than US$150,000 were collected for two local children's hospitals—Fundación Garrahan and Cooperadora del Hospital de Niños Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez.
The event featured two races: a 3-kilometer recreational "fun run" and a competitive 10-kilometer race. Almost 10,000 runners from more than 170 organizations took part in both competitions. Prizes were awarded to winners in a range of categories, including wheelchair competitors and blind runners. After crossing the finish line, everyone received a commemorative FILA T-shirt. Each year, this event—made possible by the strong support of the Buenos Aries business community—receives significant media coverage by top local newspapers, radio and television stations.
During this special occasion commemorating the eleventh edition of this Fund-Raising Marathon, we celebrated the unity for running and for helping others. Among the special features included this year, there were runners helping to unfurl a huge flag with the logos of the two institutions we helped. In addition to this, 2,500 red balloons and a shower of confetti were released just before the race start-filling up the sky with passion. The “Green Marathon” was present again this year: runners were encouraged to collect plastic bottles and caps for reuse, recycling or disposal.
In the eleventh year of the Solidarity Marathon, the secret of the marathon’s success was that ten thousand people were able to run and help together for an important cause.
For more information, images and race results, please visit www.maratonsolidaria.com.