Fort4Fitness events also for philanthropy

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - For the first time, organizers of the 5 ^th annual Fort4Fitness have invited charity partners to run the variety of races for a cause.

More than one thousand of the record number of runners and walkers registered for the events have chosen various organizations to sponsor with pledges gathered ahead of time.

Members of a Fort Wayne church have decided to dedicate their four to thirteen mile journeys to suffering taking place 8,000 miles away in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A group of 540 people connected to the Fellowship Missionary Church in Fort Wayne have partnered with World Relief Congo to “Race for Peace” on Saturday.

The runners and walkers have raised approximately $30,000 for the cause of choice.

Joe Johns, the director of missional living for FMC, said the event is expected to be inspiring for all working with World Relief Congo; an organization the church formed a relationship with six years ago.

“To see that there [are] people 8,000 miles away who know what’s going on, have a sense of what’s going on and actually care and can communicate that… Is going to really energize [the group] as they, day-in and day-out are doing really difficult work in a difficult place,” Johns said.

The church mobilization director at World Relief DRC, Serubungo Marcel has traveled to Fort Wayne to participate in Fort4Fitness with the church members.

“This shows me that we are not alone in our suffering,” Marcel said.  “We have brothers and sisters that are behind us who are praying for us, who are supporting us through any way.”

A total of 9,809 people have registered for the Fort4Fitness half marathon, 10K, four mile run/walk, kids marathon and seniors marathon.