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2015 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run Earns Gold Certification From The Council For Responsible Sport
Third consecutive certification
breaks new ground with integrated team approach and broad support from
entire race committee, sponsors and vendors.
January 11, 2016, Washington, DC: Leading up to the
2015 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run, Sustainability Team Leader Kim
Nemire made a concerted effort to integrate sustainability into all
aspects of race production. The results speak for themselves: Today the
Council for Responsible Sport confirmed Gold certification and the
achievement of every credit applied for by the 2015 Credit Union Cherry
Blossom Run, following silver certifications in 2011 and 2013. The
annual 10 mile run and 5K Run-Walk attracts nearly 20,000 participants
on a course which starts and finishes on the Washington Monument Grounds
and passes by all of Washington DCÛªs major memorials.
Race Director Phil Stewart applauded the team effort, saying:
ÛÏFollowing Kim NemireÛªs lead, the entire race committee supported the
many sustainability initiatives undertaken at last yearÛªs event. So,
too, did our race sponsors and Health and Fitness Expo vendors. IÛªm very
much looking forward to this yearÛªs pre-race dinner and the opportunity
to recognize everyoneÛªs contribution to our gold certification.Û
Keith Peters, Executive Director of the Council for Responsible
Sport, also acknowledged Kim NemireÛªs leadership: ÛÏKim and her team
looked at every aspect of the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run in search
of new opportunities to engage and educate race participants and
volunteers about sustainability. Perhaps the most far reaching
initiative they promoted was TapIt, an innovative bottle refilling
network of cafes, eateries, grocery stores and other local businesses
that promote the DC regionÛªs access to tap water and provide a more
sustainable alternative to bottled water.Û
Other sustainability highlights from the 2015 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run included:
- 59% of participants used public transportation to travel to the
Health and Fitness Expo and/or the race, and over 300 people took
advantage of bike valet parking services. - 80% of the waste generated at the Health and Fitness Expo and on
race day was diverted from the landfill through the dedicated sorting
efforts of some 50 volunteers tasked with removing compostables and
recyclables from the waste stream. - 68 bags of clothing abandoned at the start line were collected and
recycled, while nearly 200 pairs of shoes were recycled at the Health
and Fitness Expo. - Almost 90% of the food and beverages provided by the race were certified organic or were locally produced.
- 100% of the carbon footprint of race operations and 50% of the
carbon footprint of local travel was offset through NativeEnergy. These
offsets helped support the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Natural Methane
Capture and Use Project, located on tribal lands in the San Juan Basin
in southwestern Colorado. - Race entries were provided to 100 local youth through a partnership with Teens Run DC.
The 2016 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run will take place on Sunday, April 3, and will mark the 14th year
of title sponsorship by Credit Union Miracle Day. Since 2002, over $7
million has been raised for the ChildrenÛªs Miracle Network Hospitals.
About the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile:
The Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run is known as ÛÏThe
RunnerÛªs Rite of Spring®Û in the NationÛªs Capital. The staging area for
the event is on the Washington Monument Grounds and the course passes
in sight of all of the major Washington, DC Memorials. The event serves
as a fundraiser for the ChildrenÛªs Miracle Network Hospitals, a
consortium of 170 premier childrenÛªs hospitals across the United States.
About one-third of the funds raised support Washington, DCÛªs own
ChildrenÛªs National Medical Center (ÛÏChildrenÛªs HospitalÛ). The event
also funds two $5,000 Road Runners Club of America ÛÏRoads ScholarÛ
grants designed to support up-and-coming U.S. distance running talent.
Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc., a consortium of credit unions and
credit union suppliers, is the title sponsor of the Credit Union Cherry
Blossom Ten Mile Run and 5K Run-Walk. PSCU is the lead financial partner
of Credit Union Miracle Day, Inc. Supporting sponsors include Gatorade,
GoldÛªs Gym, MarathonFoto, MedStar Sports Medicine, Navy Federal Credit
Union, New Balance, and Potomac River Running.
The event is a proud member of the PRRO Circuit (www.PRRO.org),
a five-race non-marathon prize money circuit with events in Utica, NY,
San Juan, PR, Washington, DC, Spokane, WA and Pittsburgh, PA. The
circuit is committed to a drug-free sport and funds USADA to conduct
drug testing at all circuit events.
In addition to being sanctioned by USA Track & Field and the Road
Runners Club of America, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run has earned
Gold certification from the Council For Responsible Sport for its many
environmentally and socially responsible initiatives.
About AmericaÛªs Credit Unions:
Credit unions provide consumers choices for financial services such
as checking accounts, investments and loans of all kinds including
mortgages. Funds are federally insured, but unlike banks, there are no
stockholders at credit unions. Earnings are returned to member-owners in
the form of lower loan rates, higher savings rates, low or no-fee
products and services. The credit union philosophy of placing membersÛª
needs first is why more than 104 million Americans do their banking at
one of AmericaÛªs 6,300 credit unions. Credit unions are for everyoneÛÒ no
matter where you live, there is a credit union to meet your needs.
To find a credit union near you visit: www.asmarterchoice.org or www.culookup.com
About the Council for Responsible Sport:
The CouncilÛªs vision is a world where responsibly produced sports
events are the norm and its mission is to provide objective, independent
verification of the socially and environmentally responsible work event
organizers are doing to make a difference in their communities. The
current version of the CouncilÛªs Certification standards (v.4.2) was
developed by an outside working group of both sustainability and sport
industry experts, reviewed by a wide range of stakeholders throughout
2013 and implemented in January 2014. www.CouncilforResponsibleSport.org
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