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| Athletes participating in the activity "Run for green schools" 2024. Photo: Hue Runners |
These steps bring dual benefits
After participating in the activity "Run for green schools 2024" (end of March 2024) with 3 distances of 5km, 10km and 21km, members of Hue Runners Club along with teachers and staff of Lang Co Junior High School organized the planting of 40 trees on the school campus. Looking at each Taiwanese almond tree planted, teachers, students and those directly participating in this activity think of a near future where they will be able to sit under the shade of green trees in a sunny summer.
“These are grown Taiwanese almond trees which will soon shade the school yard. From this practical activity, we also spread awareness of landscape and environmental protection to students more effectively," shared Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh, teacher, Principal of Lang Co Junior High School.
With the activity "Run for green schools in 2024", this program has planted more than 4,000 Taiwanese almond trees for 150 schools in Thua Thien Hue and neighboring provinces over 3 years of organization. The program originated from a combination of people who were passionate about running to exercise, but then fate brought them together with a very humane idea.
Mr. Tran Dinh Phin, Chairman of Hue Runners Club, said that each club member has a different job. Coming to running activities to exercise, after a period of association, the members want to create more value for society, starting from donating and giving gifts to the poor.
“When we sat down, there was a suggestion from a businessman that we should plant trees. Giving gifts to the poor is very good, but to create long-term and more sustainable value, planting trees is extremely meaningful. The running activity associated with planting trees was born from there," said Mr. Phin.
Le Duy Nam, a businessman, recalled that the timeline for this idea was February 22, 2022. Being a native of Hue and working in Ho Chi Minh city, also a lover of running and the environment, so on that day, he came up with the idea of running 22.02km and donating 222 trees to 5 schools. From that idea, many people who are passionate about running have joined him in doing this activity for a long time.
In 2022, Hue Runners Club organized 3 "Run for green schools" activities. Resources from the program, in addition to the contributions of members, especially Mr. Nam, include many contributions from calls to the community. Mr. Phin shared that through research, many people want to contribute to society, but they have little money, or do not know where to contribute. When learning about this activity and seeing its value, many people unanimously supported it, from a few tens of thousands of Dong to a larger amount.
Over the years, the number of trees planted in schools has increased. In this year's activity, 1,100 trees were planted in schools. “Depending on the needs, on the surveys, and wishes of the schools, the program will give each school 20 - 50 trees. The program focuses on schools where there are few trees or their trees are not beautiful. The ultimate goal is to create beautiful green spaces in schools," a member of the Hue Runners Club shared.
Spreading values
In a talk with participants in the "Run for green schools" activity, they listed a series of values of the activity they are pursuing, which are spreading the sports movement following the example of the great Uncle Ho towards a healthy lifestyle associated with environmental protection activities, implementing the province's Green Sunday movement. Through the running race, it also promotes the beauty of Hue through the roads.
Typically, in the recent running race, the organizing committee of the running race, Hue Runners Club, in collaboration with Laguna Lang Co and Thua Thien Hue Water Supply Joint Stock Company (HueWACO), chose a route starting from Lang Co Junior High School running around Lap An lagoon. This is an ideal running route with cool, fresh weather and beautiful sunrise views. Ms. Doan Thi Hong Loan, a runner from Hue city shared: "This road is very beautiful and I want to share this road with others to spread the values of protecting the landscape, the environment and improving health."
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh, the teacher, said that the running race not only had the participation of members of the Hue Runners Club but also attracted the participation of hundreds of teachers, students of Lang Co Junior High School and other schools. It is these things that motivate schools to continue to propagate and guide students to protect good values.