News

Last updated 12/8/2011

Founder of Run for Congo Women to Keynote GlobalFest 2012

Lisa Shannon, a Portland woman who founded Run for Congo Women to support African women brutalized by the long-running war in central Africa, will speak at Skagit Valley College's Mount Vernon campus on February 9, 2012, as keynoter for GlobalFest 2012. In 1994 Lisa watched an Oprah episode about the atrocities suffered by women in the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo. Determined to do something about it, she went on a solo run in Portland’s West Hills and raised $28,000 to support counseling, training and financial assistance for 1,000 Congolese women. Since then, Run for Congo Women has raised more than $1 million in runs throughout the US and Europe. The complete story is told in her book, A Thousand Sisters: My Journey into the Worst Place on Earth to be Woman.

Tickets are on sale now at McIntyre Hall box office: www.mcintyrehall.org, or call 360-416-7727 Ex. 2 or Toll Free 866.624.6897 Ex. 2. General Admission $25, Students with ID, $15. Priority seating is available with additional purchase of an International Dinner ticket ($35). The International Dinner is held right before Lisa Shannon’s keynote address.

Skagit Runners members are also encouraged to visit www.RunforCongoWomen.org to learn how to join an RfCW run, or how to form a Run for Congo Team when you enter any local race.

For more information contact Ted Maloney, ted.maloney@skagit.edu, or 360-466-7774, or visit our website, www.skagit.edu/globalfest.

Girl Scout Troop #52101 is collecting slightly used running shoes for Shoe4Africa. Donations will be accepted at Skagit Running Company in downtown Mount Vernon until April 2012. For more information, please check out their flyer.

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