by Kathy Whitney
The annual Shade Tree Trot, a vital and long-standing fundraiser for the Shade Tree Clinic, will be held virtually again this year. The weeklong event is open to the public.
“Last year’s Trot was the first virtual event and was our most successful one yet, and we are very grateful for our supporters’ continued dedication and generosity in supporting the clinic,” said second-year medical student and Trot co-director Annmarie Mede, who is leading this year’s event with third-year student Pooja Santapuram.
The virtual 5K will be a social media event beginning March 28 and ending April 3 at 1 p.m., whereby participants are encouraged to walk/run a 5K and then share photos. As a virtual runner, participants can start their run/walk where they want, when they want, and as long as they complete the distance and share a photo, the result will be counted.
This year, runners are invited to participate in the Challenge Race, in which they run as many miles as they can during race week to increase their fundraising and are eligible to win additional prizes.
All participants will receive a trademark Shade Tree Trot shirt and are eligible to qualify for individual and team prizes. Also, a free souvenir photo will be available for all participants and supporters.
“The emphasis of this event is community engagement and staying healthy while social distancing,” Mede said.
The Shade Tree Clinic is run by Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and School of Nursing students and serves the uninsured population of Nashville. A portion of proceeds will also benefit Mercury Courts Resource Center, a clinic run by the School of Nursing that serves homeless, recently homeless and low-income individuals.
Participants are encouraged to create a fundraising page, join a team, and share it on Facebook to help spread information about the event.
