Security 5/2K Mission 500 Charity Run Raises More Than $95,000
The third Security 5/2K Mission 500 Charity Run in Las Vegas at ISC West raised more than $95,000 to benefit Mission 500, a charitable organization engaging security professionals to sponsor children in need through the World Vision organization.
Proceeds from the March 29 event will sponsor 260 children for a full year -- providing food, water, education, healthcare and most importantly, hope. Event proceeds increased the number of sponsored children to more than 500 in total.
The organizers were overwhelmed by support from across all facets of the security industry. More than 550 runners and walkers registered for the event, and over 450 participated. Registrants included over 120 female runners, and participants hailed from 20 countries and 40 states. First place overall female runner was Sarah Semerjian (22:23) of Alexandria, Virginia, and first place overall male runner was Peter Novick (17:32) of Bethesda, Maryland.
Aided by LRG Marketing Communications, Mission 500 launched an aggressive integrated marketing campaign beginning in January 2012, aimed at increasing its child sponsorships and promoting wider Security 5/2K participation. For the first time, Mission 500’s media partners joined in offering their support in the form of over US$125,000 in print and electronic media placements to support this important cause.
Media for the marketing program was supported by SDM, Security Magazine, Security Management, Security Products, Security Sales & Integration, Security Systems News, Security Director News, Security Technology Executive, Campus Safety, Ventas de Seguridad, Seguridad en America (two Spanish language Security publications) and their respective web pages and portals. The campaign succeeded in helping Mission 500 reach its goals and add more than 150 new sponsored children during ISC West in Las Vegas, in addition to the quantity that will be sponsored with the proceeds of the 5/2K event.
The Security 5/2K event also featured a 2K walk for the first time and over 80 people signed up to participate. Jeremy Gideon was the first placed male participant and Terri Wallowitch was the first placed female participant.
At a Reception and Awards Ceremony for Security 5K runners, Mission 500 awarded its third “Mission 500 Humanitarian Award” to Mary Jensby, Director of Central Station and Data Entry of Monitronics Security. The award honors individuals in the security industry who make important contributions to those in need. Vivint was the second recipient of Mission 500’s Corporate Social Responsibility Award, as well.
For the Security 5/2K, more than 200 of the runners set up fundraising Web pages and added more donations to help the cause totaling over $13,400: Charlene Foglio was top fundraiser with $3,050, followed by Rob Hummel with $1,000 and Shane Geringer with $985. Charlene will participate in a trip to a World Vision project later this year.
Exhibitors and attendees volunteering for Mission 500 also joined Las Vegas dancers to converge on unsuspecting attendees “Flash Mob” style to showcase a song that was donated, written and produced by Boca Raton musician Rick Krive. This initiative was sponsored by Axis who also had over 60 participants in the Security 5/2K, the largest team participation since the event started. Angela Kendall Dempsey helped create the flash mob, together with song lyrics and choreography.
The Security 5/2K Mission 500 Race at the 2012 ISC West Expo in Las Vegas was a collaboration between United Publications, publishers of Security Systems News and Security Director News; Reed Exhibitions, producers of ISC Expos; and Mission 500. Sponsors in 2012 were Alarm.com, Altronix Corporation, AXIS Communications, Ditek, Deister Electronics, HID, Honeywell, LRG Marketing Communications, Panasonic, Pelco (by Schneider Electric) and Safety Technology International, Inc. T-shirt sponsor DMP, race bibs from Samsung, top fundraiser award by Verint and refreshment sponsor was Brivo.
Freeman, contractor of services to ISC West and its exhibitors, waived staff costs and fees for using audio-visual equipment during the 5/2K race and the awards ceremony, and Starbucks generously donated coffee to complement the post race refreshments and food.
See photos and a brief video presentation of the race at the following link: http://www.security5k.com.
Other race winners in various age categories included:
- MALE AGE GROUP: 20 – 30: Nate Wysk in 19:46
- FEMALE AGE GROUP: 20 – 30: Mikell Heinz in 23:09
- MALE AGE GROUP: 31 – 40: Juan Rendon in 18:10
- FEMALE AGE GROUP: 31 – 40: Karen Salerno in 22:57
- MALE AGE GROUP: 41 – 50: Eric Taylor in 20:32
- FEMALE AGE GROUP: 41 – 50: Cathy McHugh in 22:31
- MALE AGE GROUP: 51 – 60: John Donegan in 21:01
- FEMALE AGE GROUP: 51 – 60: Martha Entwistle in 26:02
- MALE AGE GROUP: 61 – 70: Hans Hendrickx in 22:37
- FEMALE AGE GROUP: 61 – 70: Louise Nesterenko in 34:34