Expedition Everest Challenge Celebratory Charity~ Snow Leopard Trust

I’ve said, repeatedly, over the past 3 years; perhaps my favorite feature of runDisney events is their “giving back” to the community that supports them.  I don’t believe enough attention is given to this behind the scenes cooperation, which ranges from monetary donations to considerable visibility for the designated charities that each of runDisney’s events “celebrates”.  I recently corresponded with Darrell Fry, Walt Disney World Resort Sports Media Director, and these are the details he shared:

We do provide a donation to the International Snow Leopard Trust as this is the designated charity for our volunteers.   The amount varies from year to year.    We work closely with our Community Relations Department and other Disney partners on selecting all of our designated charities for each event.

I’ve written previously about these various designated charities, (runDisney Charity Groups Program~ A Personal Story, The Walt Disney, runDisney, Special Olympics Connection, Nothing Beats Running at Disney, Unless it’s runDisney With a Cause), and the many, impactful benefits to runners, runDisney itself, and the numerous recipients of each non profits’ charity.  I will admit, that unlike The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend designee), or Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend), I was not familiar with the Snow Leopard Trust, so I did some Earth Day “exploration” of my own.

This oldest and most established organization formed to protect the endangered snow leopard species clearly aligns itself well with the mission of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  These Central Asian cats are susceptible not only to poaching, but to pressures from their habitats, which includes an increased number of their prime predators- goats.  (In Mongolia, these goats are being raised in increasing numbers for their cashmere coats.)  Not only does the Snow Leopard Trust work to conserve and protect the approximately 5,000 snow leopards that remain in the wild, they partner with over 70 zoo partners, (of which, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is one- though we know it is “Nahtazu”),  to better understand this species health and breeding in captivity.

The Walt Disney Company has long exhibited its corporate responsibility and citizenship, and the charitable stewardship of runDisney events furthers that effort.  Not only does the corporation act responsibly and support its larger community, but it inspires others to do the same.  If you are running Expedition Everest Challenge, YOU will be supporting the Snow Leopard Trust.  Perhaps you should visit their website and learn more about wildlife conservation.  And if you become a Snow Leopard Trust e-mail subscriber between now and May 8th, $2 will be donated to the cause.  This is just too much goodness packed into one race!

Running for a cause, no matter the motivation, is a win for the charity, an empowering win for the runner, and introduces Disney Parks to a potentially new consumer.  With runDisney every mile is magic, and each pixie-dusted participant is a winner.  Especially those cute snow leopards.  

Please be sure to visit each post on the Virtual Expedition Everest Blog Hop!