This October, the ladies of the Zeta Upsilon chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta will be hosting a 5K for the students and faculty of the University of Texas at Dallas as well as members of the Richardson, Plano, Dallas, and other surrounding communities. Participants can walk or run around a designated path with chapter members encouraging and cheering them on.

All funds raised will be split between Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA),Theta's national philanthropy, and the Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation. CASA is a national association that supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children in order to provide children with a safe and healthy environment in permanent homes. Throughout the 5K, we will have information about CASA displayed to educate the participants with information on who they are helping and how. The Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation, whose mission is to secure and manage resources for the scholastic, professional, and service pursuits of its members to help them reach their fullest potential and make a difference. Thank you for helping us support both of them!

At the end of the race, we will be hosting a celebration with food, drinks, entertainment, and prizes. Feel free to bring cash or a check to participate in the raffle portion of our 5K celebration!

This is a night-time race and will be chip-timed.
Registration: 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
5K Start: 6:00 p.m.

Course Map: click here

Race Benefits:
CASA - Court Appointed Special Advocates!

Anyone wishing to donate directly but not participate in the 5K or event, here is our link below:

donate.billhighway.com/utdtheta5k

Information about CASA:
Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA volunteers, are a trained community of citizens appointed by a judge to speak up for abused and neglected children in court. CASA volunteers research the child's background details to help the court make a sound decision about the child's future. Nationwide, the CASA program has evolved into one of the largest volunteer organizations in the country with more than 900
programs in operation, at least one in every state. In Texas in 2007, 4,928 CASA volunteers advocated 20,509 children in 202 counties. CASA programs can help a displaced child find the security needed to grow and reach full potential. It's been shown that:

• Children who have been assigned CASA volunteers tend to spend less time in court and in foster care than those who do not have CASA representation.[*]CASA advocated children have better chances of finding permanent homes.[*]CASA cases are more likely to be reviewed on a regular basis by the court.

www.casaofcollincounty.org/

Because he had CASA:
"Kenneth, age 2, is alive due to the persistence of his CASA volunteer. He came into foster care with a severe head injury and several broken bones. Although he had been seen regularly by medical personnel, the CASA vol- unteer was concerned because Kenneth's head was so swollen that he could not hold it up, and his eyes had begun to cross. The CASA volunteer called the doctor and requested that she compare Kenneth's most recent head circumference to earlier measurements. The doctor was shocked to realize that the swelling was at a crisis point. Kenneth was immediately hospitalized, and the doctor stated that the CASA volunteer's persistence probably saved Kenneth's life. He is now a healthy, happy little boy and is permanently placed with his loving grandparents."
www.dallascasa.org

Kappa Alpha Theta supports CASA:
In 1989, Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity adopted National CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates, as its national philanthropy. Since 1989, the Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation has provided grant support to National CASA. To date, the Foundation is proud to have contributed more than $900,000 to fund National CASA's public awareness efforts. Gifts from individual donors, college chapters, and alumnae chapters make the Foundation's support of the National CASA grant possible.

Thetas are involved with CASA in many ways. Each year, Theta college and alumnae chapters host fundraisers such as "CASA Walkathon 2011: No Time for Siesta" and "KATs Making Tracks for CASA Theta 5K" to support their local CASA chapters. These events raise tens of thousands of dollars annually to support CASA's work.

T-Shirts are guaranteed to the first 100 participants picking up their packets on race day.

For event questions, please use the *Contact the Organizers* button on the left-side of this page.

Or visit the event website here:
www.utdtheta.com/contact-us/