17th International YMCA Run raises JPY 8.2 million for charity
(Tokyo Weekender - Novemer 7, 2003)

More than 1,200 people gathered for the 17th annual International YMCA Charity Run at Yoyogi Park on Saturday, Sept. 27, and raised JPY 8.2 million for the Challenged Children Project (CCP).

Blue skies and perfect running weather welcomed the 82 teams (including those from the Australian Embassy, led by Australian Ambassador John McCarthy, Nestle Japan Group, Official National Sponsor of the YMCA Charity Run Series, as well as various financial, law and community groups), making this year’s run the biggest so far.
 

The money raised goes to support the development of mentally and physically challenged children through camp and fellowship activities, as well as promoting integration to, and acceptance by, mainstream society, through the CCP, run under the auspices of the National Council of YMCAs of Japan.

There were great prizes and giveaways, all kindly donated. Prizes up for grabs included two Cathay Pacific Airways tickets to Hong Kong, accommodation and dinner tickets, champagne from LVMH - Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, a golf bag from DaimlerChrysler The winners were: 1) Fuji Xerox Hasu Club. 2) Recruit Co., Ltd. 3) Exxon Mobil Team Japan. The Bronze Lion—for the fastest financial institution—went to a team from CFJ Group.

The YMCA Foreign Community Supporting Committee (FCSC), a group of ambassadors and international business, community and social leaders who desire to contribute to Japanese society and have been working to improve the quality of challenged children’s lives since 1958, put on the first run in 1987 in conjunction with the Tokyo YMCA. They distributed the money to 24 camps and programs.

Since that time, the numbers of participants in the runs and the amount of children who have been helped, has continued to grow. Now there are more than 100 camps, activities and programs helping more than 5,000 children across Japan each year.