Lovedale’s A2S hosts 5K this Saturday

It all started with a pile of leftover shoes in the locker room in 2008. Then a freshman, Davidson basketball forward Andrew Lovedale wondered what happened to the lightly used shoes and shirts at the end of a season. He asked if he could send the extras to his hometown in Benin City, Nigeria. Every summer when he returned home, he packed his suitcases with pairs and pairs of shoes to hand out to the local teens in need of them. The idea blossomed, and Lovedale's 2009 Kicks from 'Cats shoe drive partnered with Samaritan's Feet to collect and distribute 10,500 pairs of shoes in Nigeria. By the next year, Lovedale's aspirations grew into A2S, the Access to Success foundation, whose mission is to benefit underprivileged children through athletic, educational, and spiritual programs.

This Saturday, you can participate in Lovedale's initiatives with the inaugural "Kicks from 'Cats: The Andrew Lovedale 5K" run. The event is taking place on the Davidson cross country trails and is run in conjunction with the Davidson College Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The hills and flats of the trails provide the perfect challenge for runners of all abilities, but if you don't feel like running on a Saturday morning, gather your friends to walk with you and enjoy the scenic paths. The men's race will begin at 9 a.m., and the women's starts at 9:30. The entry fee for the race is $15 (CatCard accepted), and this will also get you a Nike Dri-Fit A2S shirt. President Carol Quillen will be in attendance, and Coach Bob McKillop will be presenting awards. Come see our own Stephen Curry lead the opening prayer and shoot the starting gun. You won't even have to feel embarrassed asking for an autographed photo of him, because for $5 you can purchase one and all the proceeds will go to A2S. If the Dri-Fit shirts, goody bags, post-race refreshments, and Stephen Curry autographs haven't convinced you to part with 15 bonus bucks, it is important to remember where 100% of the proceeds of this race will benefit.

At an institution like Davidson, we have so much at our fingertips, but it is easy to forget just how fortunate we are. Your donations and participation will help bring some of the advantages we often take for granted to Benin City, where A2S is modernizing the local free school run by Gospel Ministries Bible Church. Walls will be painted, desks will be built, computers, books, and other much-needed supplies will be donated, and teachers will be hired. Your donations will also go toward building a kitchen at the church, so that the children of the community, many who live in poverty, will be guaranteed at least one hot meal a day. A2S is also developing an after-school program to give the children something constructive to do after school and keep them off of the streets.

These programs will include tutoring and homework help, music lessons, basketball and other sports skills training, community service, and cultural exchange. A2S is completely volunteer-run, and your contributions will send volunteers like Davidson College Assistant Sports Information Director Lauren Biggers, former Davidson Assistant Director of Marketing and Promotions Morgan Clark, and Davidson graduates Claire Asbury '10 and Eloise Grose '06 to Benin City to make these goals for a better life for underprivileged children a reality.

Lovedale recently said, "The love and support of the Davidson community is second to none. Thank you for helping us help underprivileged youth understand that geography should not determine whether or not they can dream, and that in the sight of the Lord, every child is unique." So sign up and lace up your kicks for the 5K this Saturday!