Tim Cole, an 83-year-old Gardnerville resident, stands next to the participation medals he’s collected from walking virtual 5k races. He’s raised over $500 for Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russian invasion.
Photo by Faith Evans.
On Monday, he’ll be lacing up his shoes for a special outing: the Run For Ukraine.
“My heart bleeds for (Ukrainians). Bleeds for them. I just thought maybe this is an opportunity we could do something,” he said Tuesday.
The Run for Ukraine is a virtual 5k race, so participants can donate and run on their own time from anywhere in the world.
It’s right up Cole’s alley — one of his hobbies is walking virtual 5-kilometer races, and he decorates his bedroom wall with the participation medals.
Before he and his wife, Norma, retired to The Chateau at Gardnerville, an assisted living facility, Cole used to run marathons.
Nowadays, he prefers taking it slow, and he straps on his pedometer weekly to participate in the Chateau’s walking club, “Step on It.”
Though Cole jokes that his knees won’t allow him to run anymore, he’s racing to collect donations before his 5k walk on Monday. His neighbors and fellow residents at The Chateau at Gardnerville have already helped him collect over $500.
“I’m happy with what we’ve done. It’s impressive,” he said.
All the donations go toward housing displaced Ukrainians, who are fleeing their country from Russian invasion.
Cole is hoping to finish his 5k on Monday within an hour, and he’s excited to see how many people will join him and donate to Ukrainian refugees.
To participate in the Run for Ukraine, go to https://runsignup.com/Race/WI/AnyCityAnyState/RunForUkraineVirtual5k.
The Chateau at Gardnerville is located on 1565 Virginia Ranch Road.
