Community Corner

Bedford Team Aims to Raise $50K for HIV+ African Children at Rye Westchester Tri

Bedford residents Paul O’Reilly-Hyland and Joelle Wyser-Pratte will lead a team of 20 at the Westchseter Triathlon in Rye Sept. 29 to raise money for Ubuntu Africa (UBA), a non-profit organization that supports HIV+ children in South Africa.

O’Reilly-Hyland and Wyser-Pratte are aiming to raise $50,000 for the cause and help raise awareness of the organization by running, biking and swimming at the Triathlon.

“Last year, we were able to use our participation in the Westchseter Tri to raise some funds for UBA, but we knew that by putting a team together, we could gather the people and resources necessary to make a significant difference in the lives of these children,” O’Reilly-Hyland said.

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UBA was founded by Bedford native Whitney Johnson after she witnessed the devastating impacts of HIV at an orphanage in South Africa at the age of 21. Six years since Johnson founded the organization and Ubuntu now serves more than 200 HIV+ children and provides them with healthcare, social work, nutrition, counseling, HIV education and fun activities such as soccer, performing arts and surfing.

Johnson is joining the race too.

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“Support from the Westchester community has grown this organization from its very humble beginnings into the organization it is today,” Johnson said. “Having our first team in the Westchester Triathlon is just another step in taking that support to the next level. I am so excited to see where we can take this and thank everyone who is a part of it.”

To donate to the Ubuntu Africa organization, click here.

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The 29th annual Jarden Westchester Triathlon will feature over 1,200 athletes this year competing in a .9 mile swim, 25- mile bike; and 6.2 mile run starting at Rye Town Park at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 29. This year’s tri is a qualifier for the prestigious 2014 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon in San Francisco.  A Westchester Kids’ Triathlon for 7-14 year olds will also be held on Saturday, September 28 at 8:00 a.m. at Rye Town Park and will include varying swim, bike and run distances by age group as well as the Westchester Super Sprint Triathlon (sponsored by Equinox) for adults and teens ages 15 and up.


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