First, thank you so much for signing up and supporting this. It genuinely means a lot to me. I started this with the hope of bringing people together for something simple and meaningful while raising a little money for a good cause. As I’ve gotten further into planning, I’ve realized that with the number of people currently registered, a pretty large portion of the donations would end up going toward permits, insurance, and the costs of putting on the event itself. And honestly, that just doesn’t feel right to me. I would much rather take the money that people have already generously donated and put it directly toward the cause, rather than spend the majority of it on the logistics of hosting a 5K.

So, I’ve decided to cancel the November 14th 5K and donate the money raised directly to the cause instead.

I know this might be disappointing for anyone who was looking forward to the run/walk, and I’m really sorry for the change. This definitely wasn’t an easy decision, but I feel like it’s the best way to make sure the generosity that’s already been shown can have the biggest impact. I do still really love the idea of this, and I’m hoping to try again next year with more time to plan and build some momentum around it! I’d love for Hope in the Desert to eventually become something we can all come together for each year.

Thank you for being willing to show up, support, donate, and be part of this little idea. Even though we won’t be gathering in November, I’m really grateful for everyone who supported it. 

With gratitude,

Kathryn