It’s a testament to community involvement that North Coast Opportunities is able to host the 11^th Annual Mendo Human Race this Saturday, May 7^th. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised and have gone directly to local non-profits. Creating a successful event for one year is a tall task, and the fact that we’re on number eleven says that the people and organizations of our community are amazing!

Thank you.

The goal for Saturday is to create a family-friendly community experience and the timeline has been finalized.

Rain or shine, registration starts at 8 am at the Alex Thomas Plaza at the corner of School and Clay Streets. (Please don’t park in the Round Table Pizza parking lot). DJ Ryan of Tah Dah Productions will be spinning music to get everyone energized for the day. Schat’s has donated freshly made energy bars that we’ll be serving prior to the race to fuel you for the course.

At 9 am, the event will begin with the runners starting first. If you’re running, please make your way to the ahead of the pack near the starting line. All walkers will follow the runners onto the 5k course that winds its way through the streets of Ukiah including two laps around Todd Grove Park.

The final participants will return to the plaza by approximately 10:30. Upon your return to the plaza, you can peruse the Ukiah Farmers’ Market which will be in full swing. You can take in more music from DJ Ryan and we’ll have a vibrant marketplace which includes informational booths around many key community programs

We’ll also have lunch for you. We’ll be serving locally produced John Ford Ranch hot dogs along with fresh strawberries and oranges sourced by the Mendo Lake Food Hub. There will be a vegetarian option available as well. Lunch will be prepared by the Active 20-30 Club of Ukiah.

At approximately 10:45 we’ll host the second annual “Kids Race.” This is for children 9 and under. We have outlined a “track” which is a semi-circle right at the heart of the Plaza. This will be quick and fun. At the end of the race, all the kids will receive their very own Mendo Human Race sunglasses.

Right after the kids race, we’ll host our awards ceremony. There are several categories of prizes. We will have ribbons for our top runners and we’ll also have prizes for the most creative team costumes.

We’re thrilled to support the efforts of a new resource called Healthy Mendocino’s Small Steps, Big Changes which is a local resource guide to explore ideas for eating well, moving more, and being creative. Be on the lookout on Saturday for some fun Small Steps, Big Changes signs and other information that you’ll find on the course and at the Plaza. In the meantime, check out their newly launched website for more details.

In the meantime, the best thing you can do is to continue to raise money for your non-profit. Even though we won’t be accepting donations on the day of the event, you can turn them all into NCO the week after. The dollars you raise go directly toward supporting these programs which allow them to maximize their level of service to our community members.

The experience promises to be special. Thank you for making it possible. See you Saturday!

Turn in your donations to NCO on Tuesday, May 3rd from 3 – 6 pm.

Thank you for all your effort to raise money and awareness for our local non-profits and charities. It’s a thrill to see so many people come together to build community. Thank you!

Now, it’s time to begin gathering those last minute donations. In fact, everyone is pushing hard this weekend to hit their fundraising goals. As a reminder, please turn in your donations to North Coast Opportunities’ Bank Night this coming Tuesday, May 3rd from 3 – 6 pm. The address is 413 North State Street in Ukiah.

This is also an opportunity for you to turn in your team’s walker forms, pick up wrist bands (so your team members can have lunch), and t-shirts. Taking care of this kind of administration early will ensure that you and your team can focus solely on having a great time on race day. You can still collect donations all the way up to the event, but we will NOT be taking money during the day of the event. You can turn in those dollars during the week after the event. Please turn in what you have on May 3rd.

Please let us know if you have any questions by emailing us.

Thanks again and see you at Bank Night!

Savings Bank of Mendocino County has been a loyal sponsor of the Mendo Human Race from the beginning. In addition to their sponsorship they put together some creative teams and find fun ways to raise money. Check out the brief video below for inspiration as you creatively find ways to raise money for your team this year.

(Larry Schwartz is Mendo Human Race’s resident running guru. In this articles he explains how you can stretch your comfort zone and reach your goals.)

Spring has sprung, and it is time to go full speed ahead for the 2016 Mendo Human Race on Saturday, May 7^th! The course is the same as it has been for the previous years, and why not put pep in your pace, spring in your step, giddy up in your gait to see how fast you can run or walk a 5K (3.12 miles)!?

Goals come in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes beautifully timed in such a way that creates motivation to push yourself outside your comfort zone. Each year, the Mendo Human Race has participants who are motivated by the organization for which they walk or run, which makes the event such a huge success year-in-and-year-out.

How many times have you put yourself on the starting line of a running (or walking) event with the intent to potentially win an age group award? Here’s your chance! Get out of your comfort zone for the 5K distance and see what you got in the tank … You may be surprised!

So what’s all this about getting an official time for the 5K distance? It’s simple! Sign up and run (or walk) for time because you’ll be officially part of the race results that gives you a chance to win a little something extra: your age group!

Once you have an official time on a particular course or distance, you can now determine various training paces so that you can work toward lowering your 5K time or even finding out what it feels like to double the distance at the 10K (6.2 miles) distance. The time is now to register as a runner/walker to put a time stamp on moment in your life that gets you out of your comfort zone.

Time is of the essence, and we at the Mendo Human Race call you out of your comfort zone so that you can spring into action! Sign up to run/walk as a solo participant or as a team. Either way, we want you to shine while you run/walk for a great time!

We’re excited to be able to honor our top individual and team fundraisers for 2016!

Our top 3 teams will receive engraved plaques that can hang with pride on the walls of their organization or team headquarters.

In addition, our top 3 individuals will earn a health oriented prize.

Third place will earn the latest Fitbit to track your fitness and health.

We’re proud to partner with a couple of local businesses for the top two prizes. Second place earns a $150 Gift Certificate to spend at Haiku Activewear in downtown Ukiah.

And our first place winner receives two 6-month memberships at Redwood Health Club. The memberships are for new members only and have a value of $800!

The contest runs through 3 pm on May 6th. Contact us with questions. Good Luck!!!

UVMC’s Art Therapy Program has teamed up with Selzer Realty to raise funds for the program.

The Mendo Human Race is truly about serving the community. The event provides a platform for organizations of all sizes to raise awareness, and funds, to help take an idea and turn it into a reality. Ukiah Valley Medical Center’s (UVMC) Art Therapy Program is a wonderful example of how leveraging the Mendo Human Race can help launch an innovative program and improve the lives of those in the community.

UVMC is now offering complimentary group art therapy sessions as part of the hospital’s Cancer Treatment and Infusion Center’s Focus on Healing program. The sessions are facilitated by Sue Sweet, Marriage & Family Therapist and Registered Art Therapist, and made possible by a substantial grant provided by the T.R. Eriksen Foundation after building momentum by utilizing the Mendo Human Race.

“In 2014 our team walked for the first time in the Mendo Human Race and raised approximately $1,500 for the program,” says Oncology Patient Navigator Angle Slater, RN. “In 2015, we enlisted the help of Realty World/Selzer Realty and were able to more than double the funds raised. Thanks to their help, we were able to hold our first group art therapy sessions in 2015. As a result, we were able to attract funding from the T.R. Ericksen Foundation in Ukiah to help us fund 3 more sessions in 2016!”

Slater continues, “It really does take a village to support this kind of programming for cancer patients and their families. We’re most grateful to the folks at Realty World/Selzer Realty for helping us get this program off the ground. We’re also grateful for an event like the Mendo Human Race which has helped us take a fledgling program and attract larger donors to help make it sustainable.”

In accordance with the hospital’s philosophy of patient-centered care that focuses on the whole person – mind, emotions and body, and in response to feedback from patients who requested more support after treatment, this alternative therapy continues to advance UVMC’s commitment to the Focus on Healing Program which offers art, music, movement and other healing modalities, in addition to advanced medical treatment for patients with cancer.

The Focus on Healing program is offered at the Cancer Treatment and Infusion Center (CTIC) located at 260 Hospital Drive, Suite 207 in Ukiah. To learn more about the services offered at the CTIC and the Focus on Healing program please call 707.463.7627.

It’s stories like this that make the Mendo Human Race a key part of building community. If you or your organization are looking to raise awareness for your program, please consider forming a team for 2016. You can find all the details here. See you at the starting line on May 7^th!

There are many tools at your disposal to raise funds. One is to utilize an online fundraising platform called FirstGiving.com. You can create your own custom page with pictures, a video, along with your goal and thermometer. They will collect all your donations and send directly to North Coast Opportunities (NCO). You can use this link to email to prospective donors or share on Facebook and Twitter.

Here are some simple instructions:

1. Start off by visiting: http://www.firstgiving.com

2. On the homepage you’ll see an option on the menu bar titled, “Individuals” click that tab.

3. On the next page scroll down to the bottom and click “Create your free grassroots fundraising page”

4. On the next page, scroll down to the bottom and click the button that says “Search our database”

5. Next page type in “North Coast Opportunities” in the search bar.

a. Please note that EVERYONE using this service needs to select NCO as the recipient. Once the funds are received from First Giving, NCO will disburse the funds to your team’s non-profit.

5. On the next page you’ll see information about NCO and click the link so all you funds will go directly to NCO.

6. Next page: There’s a big green button (on the right) that says “Start Fundraising” Click that button.

7. Next page has a series of questions to set up your account. Fill out the required info.

Select “Create a New Campaign” and the next question select “I’m taking part in an organized event.”

“Event type” select “Walk”.

The date of the event is May 7th and you can have your page stop collecting donations on May 6th.

8. Click “next” at the bottom of the page.

9. Set up your page. You can add a photo, some text about who you are raising money for and why, set your fundraising goal, and then hit “submit”

10. Viola! You’re ready to go and you’ll be provided a customized web address that you can now share via email and Facebook.

GO get ’em!

Please email Ian Fitzpatrick with any questions.

Image Credit

The 11^th Annual Mendo Human race will be on May 7^th, 2016 at Alex R. Thomas Plaza in downtown Ukiah. The event is a 5K walk or timed run and is collaborative fundraiser that supports local charities by raising funds and building community awareness.

Team registration will kick-off at Slam Dunk Pizza which is located at 720 North State Street in Ukiah on Wednesday, February 24^th from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. Veteran teams, and folks just learning about the event, are encouraged to stop by to pick up registration information, contest details, and to get their questions answered.

The Human Race is a proven fundraiser that continues to grow in popularity each year, which is evidenced by the fact that we’re celebrating the 11^th year here in Mendocino County! Prior to race day, local businesses, organizations, and groups of neighbors form teams to collect donations in support of their favorite local non-profit. Last year over 600 people participated and tens of thousands of dollars were raised.

The event is fun and effective way for the community to come together to raise money for local charities. These organizations provide many needed services and support to our residents. Without funding many non-profits would have to cut services or close their doors. This event is a great way for us to collectively say thank you while helping raise funds.

The event is made possible through our generous sponsors which to date include: Friedman’s Home Improvement, Savings Bank of Mendocino County, Hillside Health Clinic, Advanced Benefits Group, and Rhinehart Oil. If you or your business are interested in sponsoring the event please click here.

Come join us on the evening of February 24^th at Slam Dunk Pizza to get your questions answered, and get your team registered for what promises to be an amazing community experience!