Charitable Beneficiary

The Animas Surgical Hospital Durango Double is proud to announce that the Women's Resource Center in Durango has been selected at the charitable beneficiary of the Durango Double.

The Women’s Resource Center of Durango will be the beneficiary of the Animas Surgical Hospital Durango Double, A Road and Trail Festival for Runners scheduled for Oct. 6-7, ASH Chief Executive Officer Brett Gosney and WRC Executive Director Liz Mora have announced.

“We’re thrilled to be selected as a partner and beneficiary for an event of this caliber,” said Mora. “We know that the majority of entrants in races like these are women, and we know that an event like this is an excellent opportunity for women to support each other as they work toward their running — and life — goals. As a runner myself, I know that some of the most rewarding and supportive friendships I’ve developed have come out of racing. And that’s what the Women’s Resource Center is all about: Women supporting women.”

The Women’s Resource Center was established 25 years ago to help newly divorced women and widows find the resources they needed to become economically self-sufficient. The Center continues to offer an open door, five days a week to women who need help finding community services to feed, clothe, and shelter their families; help with résumé writing and job searches; help finding legal advice for custody or divorce issues; or assistance with starting a business. The Center also provides women with opportunities to network and support each other through Empowerment Workshops and Women’s History Month activities. And most recently, the Center established a new Educational Opportunities Program that provides scholarships at Fort Lewis College and an educational fund for training and certification programs. Last year, the Center assisted more than 800 women and girls in La Plata County.

The Women’s Resource Center will be a partner with Animas Surgical Hospital and Race Director Matt Kelly to produce the festival, with the Center taking the lead to recruit volunteers for the two-day event.

“We have extensive experience with volunteer recruitment and running large special events,” said Mora. “During 2011, we recruited more than 125 volunteers who contributed more than 2,900 hours of support for fund-raisers, our Girls to Women, Women to Girls Conference, and office assistance. We already have friends, supporters, runners, and long-time WRC volunteers expressing interest in working that weekend. This is going to be a lot of fun!”

The Animas Surgical Hospital Durango Double Festival will offer four races. On Saturday, Oct. 6, a 25K and 50K trail run will begin and end at Animas Surgical Hospital. On Sunday, Oct. 7, the festival will offer half- and full-marathon road races that start at Fort Lewis College and end at 11th Street and Main Avenue. The marathon is an official qualifier for the Boston Marathon. About 400 out-of-town runners are expected for the 2012 event.

The Center will recruit more than 150 volunteers for registration, check-in, water stations, and course marshals, among other positions, said Mora.

If you have an interest in participating as a volunteer for the Animas Surgical Hospital Durango Double Festival for Runners, contact the Women’s Resource Center at 247-1242 or Liz Mora at director@wrcdurango.org.