What is Pride Run & Walk?
Saturday July 22, 2017
Stanley Park, start time 9 am
Pride Run & Walk is an annual event hosted by the Vancouver Frontrunners, a local LGBTQ+ running and walking club. Pride Run was born out of the notion of wanting to give back to our community. The main goal is to raise as much money as possible and all proceeds go directly to our community beneficiaries which are ‘Out In Schools’ and the ‘LOUD Foundation’s’ Scholarship Fund. Our second goal is to have fun! This is an event put on by a local community club and a team of volunteers that benefits the community.
For the past few years we have joined forces with the Vancouver Pride Society in an effort to putting on a bigger event while streamlining costs and efforts. The cheaper it is to host the event, the more money we can donate. Following Pride Run is Sports Day. This is a new theme for the day with the goal of bringing in members of other LGBTQ+ sports leagues in Vancouver and the lower mainland.
Visit Vancouver Frontrunners website for all the details and how to participate. Click here
Vancouver Frontrunners formed as a result of the 1982 Gay Games I in San Francisco. The founders got to know one another at Team Vancouver meetings beforehand and of course in San Francisco as well. Afterwards, they talked about forming a chapter of frontrunners in Vancouver. The first run was held on Saturday, January 15, 1983 at 11:00 A.M. from Brockton Oval in Stanley Park. The founders were Erik Graff, Damian du Plessis and Rick Woods. Erik and Rick are once again members; Damian lives in the Fraser Valley). The club held regular runs in Vancouver on Wednesdays and Saturdays. By 1984 they were going so well that 30 people showed up for a run.
