At promptly 8:30 a.m. yesterday, Saturday, Nov.3, the Race to Action 5k/10k took place. The crisp autumn air turned out to be especially chilly on the day of the race for the Rehab El-Buri Foundation.
Although puffs of warm breath streamed out of the mouths of the participants and gloves began to appear on the hands of individuals, volunteers and runners for the cause refused to let their susceptibility to the cold weather deter their incentive to take part in the Race to Action.
The incentives for the runners and volunteers to participate in this communal event included the fact that the money donated to the event would be given to support local Columbia projects, fund a Journalism Scholarship and donate to melanoma research.
Junior Inas Syed, a runner at the race, believes these aspects of the Rehab El-Buri Foundation make the event even more appealing.
“Since the money is going to melanoma research, which affected [Rehab El-Buri] who was so close to our community,” Syed said, “it really makes you want to do as much as you can to help out.”
Not only does junior Mubinah Khaleel, a volunteer at the race, partake in this occasion to remember Rehab El-Buri, but Khaleel also notices the broader aspect of the event and how it effects so many other individuals in the Columbia community.
“[The event] is to support cancer,” Khaleel said, “and whatever we can do to help people that are suffering, I want to participate.”
As the 5k/10k races concluded, and the following 1k children’s race came to an end, the runners and volunteers congregated to enjoy various refreshments and snacks including popcorn, cotton candy, bagels and even falafel. After all members were fully nourished following the somewhat strenuous running activity, the awards ceremony took place, where first, second and third place runners were announced for the 10k male participants and another first, second and third place for female 10k participants. The same awards were given to the male and female 5k competitors with the fastest recorded times.
In the coming years, the Rehab El-Buri Foundation races hope to continue, along with the support of the Columbia community and its volunteers and contenders at the event. Syed plans to remain an attendee of the Race to Action because she wants to “help the cause and this is a really good and healthy way to help out.”
Khaleel, who also plans on being a part of the race in the future, also hopes to interest others and induce support from various individuals for the cause. The Rehab El-Buri Foundation, Race to Action is an event that, in Khaleel’s eyes, can bring together a community for a particularly beneficial reason besides the local projects, scholarships and research funding the program gives back to the community.
“It’s a really fun event,” Khaleel said. “You can run with your friends, and it’s just a really nice atmosphere.”
By Manal Salim 
Were you at the race? How did you do?