Above: Haile Gebrselassie, who is preparing for the 2010 NYC
Marathon, will keynote an event to benefit Girls Gotta Run Org.

Tadias Magazine
Events News

Published: Thursday, October 21, 2010

New York (Tadias) – Long-distance legend Haile Gebrselassie will be the featured speaker at a fundraiser for the Girls Gotta Run Foundation on Monday, November 8, 2010 at the Chevy Chase Running Company, located in Chevy Chase, Maryland, organizers announced. The event will take place the day after the athlete’s highly-anticipated debut at the upcoming New York City Marathon.

“Haile Gebrselassie, arguably the greatest living distance runner in history, has graciously agreed to be our featured speaker,” said Patricia E. Ortman, GGRF’s Executive Director. “He will speak about his life and career and answer questions from the audience.”

The foundation – which was profiled here last year – was established in 2006 to provide funds for athletic shoes, clothes, meals, coach subsidies, and other training-related expenses for disadvantaged Ethiopian girls who are training to be professional runners. One of its sponsored athletes, Dinknesh Mekash Tefer of Running Across Borders, recently broke the women’s course record for the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon in Scotland, while winning her first international race.

Organizers hope that portions of the proceeds from the Maryland gathering will help “subsidize scholarships for girls to attend training at the Yaya Africa Athletics Village, an athletic center in Sululta, Ethiopia, which is presently under construction and in which Mr.Gebrselassie is a partner.”

The event, co-sponsored and hosted by the Chevy Chase Running Company, will take place at the Chevy Chase Running Company store.

If you go:
Haile Gebrselassie Featured Speaker at GGRF Fundraiser
Monday, November 8, 2010.
From 7 to 9 p.m.
4461 Willard Avenue
Chevy Chase, Maryland,
Tickets will be $25.00 and sold only at the door
Learn more at: girlsgottarun.org

Cover Image: The 2010 New York City Marathon Poster bearing Haile Gebrselassie’s photo at the 155 Street “C” train station in Manhattan. (Tadias)