Sweetwater assistant principal to run in NYC Half Marathon for Sandy Hook Promise
As assistant principal at Sweetwater Elementary, Sarah Callahan oversees building safety. She initiates emergency practice drills, checks that cameras and mobile alert systems are always operating, and ensures that every student and staff member is trained in safety procedures. She said that Volusia County Schools uses training videos from Sandy Hook Promise.
The nonprofit was established by family members who lost loved ones in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. The national organization raises awareness of gun violence and prevention and also educates schools on dangerous situations.
On March 17, Callahan will represent the nonprofit at the New York City Half Marathon as part of Team Sandy Hook. It will be her sixth half-marathon and her first charity race.
“It’s just something that’s really resonated with me since … that became my school responsibility,” she said. “And it’s just a really great organization that has already made just such a huge impact. So I’m just super excited to run for them and hopefully raise some good funds that’ll go towards training students and staff and saving lives.”
Managing half-marathon preparation on top of being a full-time mom, wife, daughter, friend and employee has made for an unconventional training plan.
From running at 4:30 in the morning or 9 at night, Callahan does what she can to get a run in. Sometimes, she runs with young girls at her school, and other times she runs between dropping off and picking up her daughter from dance lessons.
While her training schedule changes from week to week, depending on the demands of her life, Callahan’s motivation remains steady. She strives to run about 10-12 miles each week and is hoping to run 500 miles before the end of the year.
Callahan said her team has mixed abilities. Some are longtime runners, some are beginners and some are just like her, “kind of in the middle of things.” The selection process — which included more than 200 applications — was based more on a person’s desire to support a cause than it was focused on their running abilities, she said.
As part of her commitment to Sandy Hook Promise, Callahan must raise $2,000 in donations and sponsor her own travel and accommodations, estimated at an additional $1,500.
She began fundraising by word of mouth, posting on social media and handing out fliers.
But in an effort to reach more donors, Callahan has become more creative. She runs with a QR code for neighbors to scan and learn more about Sandy Hook Promise. She incentivizes people to donate every time she completes a mile and every time she sets a new personal record. And she is collaborating with Giuseppe’s Steel City Pizza, 3658 S. Nova Road, in Port Orange on Friday, Mar. 1 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. A portion of all restaurant proceeds that day will directly benefit Team Sandy Hook.
“School safety and security is one of the most important jobs we have,” Callahan said. “Anything that we can do to just help people, to increase awareness, and to educate students and staff on how to stay safe and react in an emergency situation — it just is crucial.”
To donate to Callahan, visit the Sandy Hook Promise organization at tinyurl.com/3t6xjs4s or her GoFundMe page at https://gofund.me/eb1692bc.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Port Orange educator to represent Team Sandy Hook in NYC Half Marathon
