BEDFORD, NH – Friends of Aine, a nonprofit organization providing bereavement support services to grieving children, teens and families, will host its 9th annual Kid’s Try-athlon in Bedford, New Hampshire on Sunday, August 15 at 8 am at the Bedford Town Pool and High School. The race is open for ages 4 through 15. Millennium Running designed the courses and will provide race timing services. The event sponsors include Bellwether Community Credit Union and Catholic Medical Center.
The Kid’s Try-athlon is for children of all athletic abilities and includes swimming, biking, and running components. The 4 -10 age group will swim 25 yards, bike one mile and run a half-mile; 11- to 15-year-olds will swim 50 yards, bike two miles and run one mile. No flotation devices are allowed for either group during the swim portion of the event.
Refreshments will be available after the races, and various vendors will offer arts, crafts, and entertainment opportunities to attendees.
“We think of this event as a tribute to our daughter Aine, a fundraiser for the Center, and an opportunity to get kids moving, outside in a safe environment,” said Christine Phillips, Friends of Aine Co-Founder. “The Try-athlon encourages kids to help themselves and each other. We had approximately 325 racers last time and look forward to hosting even more kids and families this year.”
Early Bird Registration is $35 per child and will increase to $40 as race day approaches. Same-day registration will be $45. All proceeds go directly to Friends of Aine to support its free bereavement support for children and families. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information and to register, visit friendsofaine.com/kids-try-athlon.
About Friends of Aine
Friends of Aine is the only nonprofit organization in New Hampshire whose sole mission is to support grieving children, teens, and families. Through a network of trained volunteer facilitators, its peer-to-peer support programs assist children and teens with sharing their experiences, exploring topics related to grief, learning coping strategies, and not feeling alone in their grief. Thanks to the generosity of donors, there is no cost to families. Friends of Aine also provides training, education, and research to families and professionals. The organization is inspired by Aine Phillips, who died suddenly at the age of eight, and the lack of existing grief support at the time for her surviving sister, Bella. For more information about Friends of Aine, visit friendsofaine.com.
Where it all began
Aine Marie Phillips (pronounced Ahn-ya) is our beautiful daughter who brought so much light and love to our lives. Her simple, unassuming presence would warm the coldest room and when she laughed, she would laugh so honestly, it was palpable. She has a spirit of pure, selfless kindness toward others, particularly her little sister whom she looked after with such genuineness and pride; they were bonded as sisters but also as friends. Aine died on August 10, 2010, suddenly and unexpectedly. She was 8 years old. Always looking out for her sister and making sure all was OK, with her hands on her hips, she once told me “Mommy, we have to help her.” And so we will, and other grieving children, as Aine would want us to do.
