Trotting for tots

Tue, Nov 29th 2016, 10:15 AM

An unfortunate event turned out to be the motivation for a special event -- Trot for Tots 242. In June 2016 Rhaine Russell was admitted to the children's ward of Princess Margaret Hospital with a skin rash. She was hospitalized for approximately two weeks. It was during her hospitalization that her uncle, Our News anchor Kyle Walkine, realized there had to be a way to make Rhaine's stay and the stay of other children better.

"It's always been my belief to leave things better than the way you met them," said Walkine. "These kids are already in a pretty unfortunate situation. They're in the hospital, in a bed that's not theirs -- their parents can only see them twice a day, two hours at a time... I figured whatever can be done to make their time in hospital a bit more comfortable would be better."

Walkine went back to his office at The Nassau Guardian where he spoke with Guardian Radio Station Manager Dwight Strachan and Guardian Lifestyles Editor Shavaughn Moss and the idea for a walkathon came about. From there, Nassau Guardian Special Projects Coordinator Paul Fernander got involved and took the lead with Trot for Tots 242.

Trot for Tots 242 was then birthed as a non-profit organization, aiming to raise funds to purchase 20 new cribs for the children's ward at PMH.


Participants in the Trot for Tots 9K Fun Walk and 12.5K Fun Run held on Saturday, November 26 at Arawak Cay. (Photo: Ahvia J. Campbell)

The children's ward at PMH sees over 1,200 children 12 and under per year.

On Saturday, November 26 at 6 a.m., the first Trot for Tots 9K Fun Walk and 12.5K Fun Run was held at Arawak Cay.
Walkine doesn't take all the credit.

"I don't want anyone to think that this initiative is all me," he said. "We built an extraordinary committee of people who worked extremely hard on this initiative."

It was a morning filled with fun and excitement as people ran for a good cause.

Guardian Radio 96.9 FM was also on board as a major sponsor.

The event also featured a carriage race where teams built or decorated a carriage, placed a member inside and raced for the floating trophy.

The winners of that event were the men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.

There was also a host of other volunteers, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and the Ladies of Elegance, as well as staff of Princess Margaret Hospital.

Trot for Tots 9K Fun Walk and 12.5K Fun Run was sponsored by The Nassau Guardian, Percy's Island Game, Island Luck, The Caribbean Bottling Company and Cash 'N' Go.


Participant in the Trot for Tots 9K Fun Walk and 12.5K Fun Run held on Saturday, November 26 at Arawak Cay. (Photo: Ahvia J. Campbell)

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian

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