The Creation of the Hot Trot 5K

摘要

Through the years, the Professional Development and Education Fund (PDEF) has raised money through many activities from simply passing the hat to selling pint glasses and even holding a miniature golf tournament. The most successful of the money-raising schemes came about in 2014 and continues today. The chair at the time was a runner and noticed that people who participate in fun runs felt connected to the other people in the race. Everyone had their own reasons for participating; perhaps it was to qualify for a specific race or to raise money for a cause or just to finish the race as a personal goal. Regardless of the reason, they were all running the same route, starting and finishing at the same place as one another. The chair felt not only that there was an opportunity for fundraising but also that, if paired with the annual meeting, there would be an event that would allow for teambuilding and networking. And thus, the Hot Trot 5K was born. There was a lot of work to be done, and the committee jumped in headfirst. It was decided to donate a small portion of the proceeds each year to a local charity in the community where the race would take place. Many local charities examined and discussed the proposed event. It was important to the committee that the charity be small, have most of its funds going back to the people who benefit from the charity and not to a chief executive officer, and have something to do with helping people. It was also decided to open the race to everyone, not just attendees of the meeting, and to have the race be not only for runners but also for walkers. In this way, people of any physical capability could join in the fun. The race was promoted on Active.com and on the SNMMI website, with a low price point. All of the participants received a shirt, a swag bag, and, for those who finished the race, a uniquely designed medal based on the location of each race.