One of the sectors most severely affected by the devastating effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic is education, and particularly tertiary education.

Many worthy students who would have either been excluded from starting tertiary education or facing the prospect of de-registration owing to lack of funds, have been saved by the grace and generosity of companies who lived up to their corporate social responsibility. Due to the pandemic and its devastating effects, the fundraising and corporate social giving sectors have had to find creative ways to sustain their corporate responsibility in areas of national life which depend on their support.

It is for reasons such as these that the CB Group and The University of the West Indies, in this 10th year, continue to press on with this annual 5K and Kids K run/walk event — the major scholarship fundraiser, despite the national prevention measures brought on by the ongoing pandemic.

The national prevention measures for the last two years have led the organisers to again implement a virtual event. Runners who sign up for the virtual race register online and simply choose their own starting line, whether it’s a treadmill or a neighbourhood street. They run the race distance, upload their finishing time and a few days later are mailed a medal.

This means that donations will still be made and received, and vital funds will go towards the life-changing process of seeing worthy students complete their tertiary education without financial stress — and just as importantly — without exposing persons to the transmission of COVID 19.

“Although participants eagerly looked forward to the annual camaraderie on the UWI campus and the post-race entertainment usually provided, the virtual race offers several benefits. For one, there is more flexibility for runners to participate in a relaxed and even fun way and for individuals and teams to test their fitness, and interact with like-minded enthusiasts around the world,” pointed out Elizabeth Buchanan-Hind, UWI executive director, Institutional Advancement, and convener of the event.

Buchanan-Hind added that the CB/UWI Virtual 5K Run/Walk and Smart Eggs Kids K are not intended as a replacement, strictly speaking, for the physical event. The pandemic, she said, has, however, inadvertently created an opportunity to add another dimension to this very important fundraising and national development activity.

Participants must register at www.uwi5k.org after which they will receive their bibs and then they have the opportunity to do their run/walk over a five-week period, October 24-November 25. Their final times must be submitted to the 5K website.

All finishers will be awarded medals.

The 2021 corporate sponsors include CB Group, National Baking Company, Proven Investments, CIBC, Victoria Mutual Building Society, Nationwide News Network, Dunlop Corbin, The Jamaica Observer, It’s Pixel Perfect, Visual Vibes and RJR Gleaner Communications Group Limited.

Registration for the virtual event is now open at www.uwi5k.org/registration or at the Sports Department at The University of the West Indies.

Registration fees to participate are as follows: Regular 5K – J$1,500/US$10 per person; Team 50 5K – J$1,200/US$8 per person; Students 5K – J$750/US$5 per person (ages 1-17); Regular Kids K – J$750/US$5 per person (ages 1-11).