UDC Cross-Country and Track Teams Participate in Blue Planet Run

Washington, DC—The cross-country and track teams of the University of the District of Columbia participated in the ???rst-ever around-the-world non-stop relay on the afternoon of August 31, 2007. As the runners passed through Washington, DC, the Firebirds joined a multinational team of 20 international citizen athletes who have been running around-the-world non-stop since June 1, 2007 as a part of Blue Planet Run, which is raising awareness and funds to deliver safe drinking water to 1.1 billion people who are currently without access.

A BPR runner arrived at the Lincoln Memorial exchange point at 12 noon carrying the Blue Planet Run baton, which was handed off to a waiting teammate. The hand off signaled the start of a run around the National Mall for D.C. residents and visitors in support of the "2007 Blue Planet Run®".

More than 1 billion people are without access to safe drinking water. Nearly 2.2 million people, most of them children, die each year from diseases related to unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene. Water-related illnesses are the single greatest cause of human sickness and health-related death worldwide. Dow Chemical Company and Blue Planet Run have joined forces to draw attention to these water crises and to help people understand how to become part of the solution.

Lady Firebird senior Anene Wynn (Durham, NC) said, " The race was invigorating and it also opened our eyes as to how far the average person in a poor country has to walk to get clean drinking water. We ran the equivalent of that distance today".  Sophomore Chantel Henry(Willingboro, NJ) said, " We are fortunate to have access to clean water". The team was also excited about the potential career connections that they made after meeting senior executives from the Dow Chemical Company, sponsor of the event, and hearing about the various career opportunites at the company.