As I neared the not-so-distant finish line, I heard voices shouting over the crowd, “Go Meredith!” Encouraged by my coworkers’ cheers, I sprinted (sort of) to the end of the 11th Annual Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC Race for the Kids in Prospect Park.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is an incredible organization dedicated to providing mentors for children from under-served communities. A few weeks before the race, Lawline hosted an office bake sale to raise money for their annual race. We all contributed a dessert, and after a day of selling everything from cookie dough brownies to berry tartlettes, we raised $265.34. Lawline then matched that amount which, combined with individual contributions, brought our grand total to $990.68 for Big Brothers Big Sisters!
On race day, a group of Lawliners joined thousands of New Yorkers to show our support by walking or running. Our team killed it, with Damien blazing into third place and Micah coming in eighth overall! I came in 55th. My mom is very proud.
As much as I loved the gorgeous trails in Prospect Park and the free lunch I got for participating, I think my favorite part of the experience was seeing Big Brothers Big Sisters in action. Lots of kids and their mentors ran together, helping each other keep pace and offering encouragement when the going got tough. It reminded me that the work this organization does—building networks of support for children—is critical, and it made me appreciate the support system I have found in Lawline. In a way, what we did at the race is what we do at work every day: we challenge each other, we motivate each other, and we cheer each other on. And when you have support like that, 55th place can feel like first.
Check out our previous BBBS Bake Sale and runs:
