Press Release: FITlanthropy Grant Announcment

Fleet Feet Raleigh was awarded one of ten FITlanthropy grants given out this year by Fleet Feet Incorporated and New Balance. This grant will be used for the Wake County Holiday Cheer Program; a project that the nOg Run Club participates in annually. The Wake County Holiday Cheer program takes place during Thanksgiving and Christmas each year, matching needy Raleigh residents with local community sponsors. Once matches are made, the sponsor shops for items on their wish lists. Last year, the nOg Run Club raised and spent $20,636 sponsoring 110 children, 3 seniors, 2 families in a homeless shelter and 60 residents at Wake County Assisted Living. The item most commonly requested on children’s Christmas wish lists, and rarely given due to the high cost, is shoes. Thanks to the generous grant, Fleet Feet Raleigh and the nOg Run Club will be able to satisfy this wish for one hundred children.

Fleet Feet Raleigh and Tir na nOg Irish Pub have been partnering since 2008 when the nOg Run Club was first conceived. Over the past seven years, the New Balance-sponsored Monday night run club has grown to approximately 300 people. In addition to the weekly runs, they sponsor two annual races: St. Paddy’s Run Green 8k and Oktoberfest 8k. These races raise money each year for a rotating monthly charity as well as the Wake County Holiday Cheer Program. Since 2010, the St. Paddy’s Run Green 8k has raised $168,568.81 and since 2012, the Oktoberfest 8k has raised $35,769.51.

Fleet Feet Raleigh is thrilled to be able to partner with the nOg Run Club and give back to the Wake County community. They hope to continue to help Raleigh citizens adopt a healthy lifestyle while using their unique position to provide footwear to those in need.