Each November, the members of UVA’s Zeta Iota chapter of Alpha Phi, invite their friends, family, and the greater community to participate in the annual Thankful 5k. The Thankful 5k is a race in honor of Shelley Goldsmith and Casey Schulman, two inspiring members of Alpha Phi at UVA. All funds raised for the 5k are donated to foundations and scholarships in their names aimed at providing support for students seeking or enrolled in higher education. The Shelley Goldsmith Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a Jefferson Scholars Foundation candidate from Southwest Virginia who made it to the final selection round. The Casey Schulman Foundation was started as a non-profit organization with the mission of awarding a college scholarship to Justice High School students who would carry on Casey's spirit.
Last year, our 5k race was entirely virtual. While we were disheartened by the fact that we would not be able to race and support our sisters, friends, and family in person, the virtual component did allow us to reach participants from anywhere in the United States! For this year's race, we are excited to announce that not only will we return to the in-person 5k race on and around university grounds, but we will also continue last year's weekend-long virtual component, allowing supporting members to participate nationwide.
The run will take place at 10am on Sunday, November 7, 2021! Runners participating in-person will meet at Nameless Field to begin the race. T-shirts (and more) will be provided for every registered runner that attends the in-person race. There will be lots of food, refreshments, and plenty of music! If you would like to participate in the race or would like to learn more, follow this link! (Registration ends November 1st.)
The Thankful 5k race is our chapter’s opportunity to raise money in honor of our sisters, and our whole chapter deeply appreciates this event and everyone’s participation. On behalf of the Zeta Iota Chapter, we hope to see you all there and can’t wait for the race!