SAN FRANCISCO – Twelve-year old Katie Lo is more athlete-saleswoman than aspiring doctor. Hustling for pledges, the St. Cecilia School student is among one hundred entrants raising money for Chinese Hospital in the YMCA Chinatown’s 32nd annual Chinese New Year Run.
During these tough economic times, the community still reaches deep into its pockets to give red envelopes and donations. Katie herself scraped up as of last Tuesday, more than $1,300 in pledges going to Chinese Hospital’s capital campaign.
“Throughout this fund raising experience, the one thing that surprised me the most is the generosity and the willingness of people to support me for the run,” said Lo.
“I am happy to know that so many people are willing to sacrifice their hard earned money toward this charitable cause, especially since we have a tough economy right now,” she said.
The Chinatown YMCA’s run primarily benefits physical education programs at three neighborhood elementary schools: Gordon J. Lau, John Yehall Chin and Jean Parker.
“Every day we provide fitness and nutritional education to over 1100 students,” said Andy Chu, Race Director for the Chinatown YMCA.
The Chinese Hospital capital campaign, for the second year ranging from six to eight-six year olds including Katie, sponsor Chinese Chamber of Commerce and others, is benefiting from the run and through a long standing relationship.
“Prior to Chinese Hospital’s opening in April 1925, the Chinatown YMCA was one of fifteen community agencies who provided support to open the hospital,” said Chu.
Katie sets herself apart from her peers by “learning new things and challenging myself.” The daughter of Ingleside Terrace residents Jeanette and Peter Lo had a two-fold task – soliciting pledges and running the early morning 5K/10K annual race twisting through Chinatown and the Financial District on Sunday, Feb. 21.
To chalk up so many pledges at a minimum of $35 apiece, she said “it helps a lot to be prepared with a clear plan, practice what you are going to say when you ask for donation, and have the courage and be persistent about asking a lot of people.”
Lo, outside of school, has prepped for the race by to a lot of tournaments. “I play competitive basketball year round and practice a lot so I think I am physically ready for the race. If not, I can always just walk to finish it.”
She is among 1,500 runners and volunteers drawn to the Chinatown YMCA run. “Rain or shine… this run is a community building activity that promotes physical fitness and community service,” said Kari Lee, Chinatown YMCA Executive Director, whose own Sacramento Street building will reopen this fall.
Pledges for Chinese Hospital go to replacing its 1920s era building at 835 Jackson Street with a modern and expanded health facility for patients who are 70 percent elderly. Nearly half reside in Chinatown.
Deadline to join the Chinese Hospital team is Friday, Feb. 19 by contacting Julia Ling at 415-677-2470 or julial@chasf.org. For more the team and the capitol campaign, go to www.chinesehospital-sf.org/. More race information can also be found at www.ymcasf.org/chinatown or call 415-576-9622
Veteran columnist has appeared in up to 450,000 households weekly in the SF Independent, Examiner (2000-04) and AsianWeek since 1996. As Editor-in-Chief (2003-07), AsianWeek and Samson received wide recognition from the California Legislature, New American Media, League of Women Voters, GLAAD, Organization of Chinese Americans, SPUR and APA civic groups. Thru the SF Citizens Advisory Committee on Elections, SF Elections Task Force and Chinese American Voters Education Committee, Wong helped boost APA influence from 25,000 in the 1980s to over 50,000 voters by the early 1990s.