Stories And Inspiration

Time. Some at GO FAR races concern themselves with making their best time. Others are giving their time. Those volunteers keep race day on track.

Karen Shaw recruits and organizes volunteers for race day and any other days extra help is needed for GO FAR events. She has been the Triad GO FAR volunteer coordinator for the past two years. Somehow this mom of two finds time to work full-time as the controller for a textiles company, be a full-time online college student, and volunteer for her GO FAR position.

“I love to see people smile,” Shaw says. “You'd be hard-pressed to find bigger smiles than those little ones as they run across the finish line, so finding the time to do something I love isn’t hard.”

To find the nearly 100 volunteers she needs for a race, Shaw reaches out to past helpers who are often excited to pitch in, and she branches out to find new volunteers through corporations and school organizations. “We also, of course, reach out to those we know—our friends and family,” she says.

She puts in hours each week emailing or calling volunteers, answering questions, and trying to assign people based on preferences and ability, while providing maximum coverage during the event.

Race day couldn’t happen without those volunteers. “They keep our parking lots organized, our runners fed and motivated, and most importantly they keep everyone safe on and off the course,” she says. “Every volunteer is crucial to the success of each race.”

Shaw gets to witness that success firsthand. “Nothing beats the excitement of race day,” she says. “Kids are excited to run with old and new friends. Coaches and teachers swell with pride as they watch how far their group has come since the first day of training—not just in endurance, but in self confidence and building relationships. Even though you’re completely worn out that Saturday afternoon, knowing that you had the opportunity to be a part of it all is an amazing feeling.”

Interested in volunteering at a GO FAR event? We’d love to have you! Contact Karen Shaw at [email protected].