Running for Resilience is now a charity!

The truth is, I’m really struggling to write these articles, because more than ever, I feel like I’m writing on behalf of our community. While being community-led has always been a goal of R4R, it’s increasingly becoming a reality.

When we started, I thought that if we’re going to save as many lives from suicide as possible, we needed as many people putting in the effort to do so. I thought that we’d need people to take ownership of R4R.

That people needed to be given the opportunity to lead within our community, so that they can become leaders in theirs. It’s why R4R has never dealt in donations, and it’s why we thought we never would.

But in the last nine months, I could feel this groundswell of energy. 

The numbers were growing and the desire to do more was increasing, and truth be told, I didn’t know how we were going to harness it all. So when R4R regulars Jess and Rich Peil offered their support… it felt different.

It felt like R4R needed to evolve, it was an offer that came from within our community, and when we asked our community what we should do, it was clear.

We had been what we wanted to be, and now, we had an opportunity to be what we needed to be. From two blokes listening to what the community wants, we now have 14 runners as board members, guiding R4R to where it needs to go.

And as we continue to grow in numbers and locations (watch this space), our belief continues to grow too: No one is destined for suicide and making Canberra suicide-free is possible.

Please join us in making it so.

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Running for Resilience Incorporated is now officially a charity. It means we’re better positioned and more resilient to pursue a suicide-free Canberra. We don’t want to change what’s made R4R so special, but we want to improve it where we can, and replicate it where possible.

So please, if you’re worried about R4R changing, don’t. It’s a priority that it doesn’t. And, if you’re excited about our goal, good. We are too.

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Thank you

It goes without saying… but thank you to Jess & Rich. Your offer was the catalyst for R4Rs evolution. It is as generous as it is important.

Thank you to Benny A. Your work in getting this mongrel registered is only the tip of the iceberg with what you do for this community.

Thank you to Shooter, Jane, and The Dock. I truly believe that R4R would be a shadow of itself without your generous hosting.

Thank you to the R4R Volleys. As we’ve become more community-led, it’s you who’s been doing the leading. You are responsible for all of the good that has come from our community.

And of course, thank you to everyone who takes part in our community. Online, in-person, or in behaviour. R4R is what it is because of each person’s effort it making it so.

Words cannot express how thankful I am for what R4R has done for me personally and my parent’s legacy. And now that we’ve taken another step toward being community-led, I hope that more people can feel the way I do.

So again, Thank you.