Boldon Names Pinky Swear Foundation as Drake Road Races Official Charity

DES MOINES, Iowa – Blake Boldon, the first-year director of the Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee, named the Pinky Swear Foundation as the Drake Road Races official charity for the Run for a Cause program on Tuesday, March 28. The Pinky Swear Foundation is a 501c(3) not-for-profit committed to helping children with cancer and their families by responding to the immediate crisis facing families with a childhood cancer diagnosis.

“Our goal is to continue to take the Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee to the community. We want our weeklong celebration of athletic achievement to become part of every Iowan’s life. The partnership with the Pinky Swear Foundation is a step toward that goal while also supporting a tremendous partner that does meaningful work in the lives of Iowans by providing assistance to children with cancer and their families,” said Boldon.

Participants of the Drake Road Races are encouraged to fundraise on behalf of Pinky Swear by creating a personal fundraising campaign at http://www.pinkyswear.org/drakerelays<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.pinkyswear.org_drakerelays&d=DwMGaQ&c=Y3sYibTtslYskVBQ_MzSQQ&r=euvf2W8xwfwC9gA7eNgXedWr5kLoEwbsV_c7xLApCL0&m=WATqweyFZcI_tWKlH46uGMQAaux03Q9ZBGK…> Top fundraisers will be eligible for Pinky Swear gear.

“It’s an honor for Pinky Swear to have been chosen by Drake Road Races as their charitable partner,” said Mary Mendenhall-Core, Iowa Regional Director at Pinky Swear Foundation. “A partnership of this caliber raises awareness of the financial challenges and emotional setbacks a family with a child with cancer faces, and furthers our mission to help kids with cancer and their families.”

Pinky Swear supports families’ quality-of-life with financial assistance for basic needs and through experiences that create emotional support, so they can focus on what’s most important: their child battling cancer. Inspired by a pinky swear promise made between a 9-year-old boy and his dad, the foundation engages kids to help grow the community of Keepers of the pinky swear.

In 2016 alone, Pinky Swear Foundation assisted more than 4,000 families in 46 states, and of those, 60 were Iowa families whose child received treatment at Blank Children’s Hospital, University of Iowa/Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, as well as other medical facilities.

The Drake Road Races get underway on Saturday, April 29 with the half marathon starting at 7:30 a.m. and the 5K at 7:45 a.m. For more information and to register, visit drakerelays.org.