Local 5K RunWalk a Success!

About 100 people attended the first annual Willing Togo 5k run/walk this past weekend at Austintown Township Park, Ohio to help support the orphan children of Gbentchal, Togo, West Africa—some of which ran with 5 gallon water jugs to reinforce the conditions in the village. Our goal was to raise money for the orphans in Gbentchal and awareness within our own community. 

I became involved with a group from my church who’s working with national humanitarian organization, Mentor Leaders, after my sister signed up to go on a mission trip to Gbentchal this coming June.

Mentor Leaders is a non-profit organization whose community-based efforts are to provide basic education, fresh water wells, sanitation and create economic stability, all while maintaining the dignity of culture. They offer a variety of ways to support their cause: internships, run water (half and full-marathon fundraisers) and sponsoring a child. Check out www.mentorleaders.org.

My sister and I created the t-shirts for the event and had an amazing time designing the shirts and the storefront as well as marketing them as a mission project in and of themselves. It’s been rewarding to get to do the marketing/branding that I love, while helping a cause that is so worthwhile. I am blessed to have two young healthy children. It is unimaginable to me the conditions the 1000+ orphans in Gbentchal live in. After hearing their story and seeing an opportunity to make a change, our t-shirt company was formed to help this cause. We hope to continue to do so, check it out www.brownhorsegarments.com. Order a shirt, become part of the story. ~Katie