A group of Odessa High School students has organized a fun run/walk at 10 a.m. Saturday at Sherwood Park to benefit the Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville.
Seniors Alexis Morales, 18, Gabriela Arenivas, 17, and Tyler Sebolt, 18, have gathered 10 student volunteers for the effort, which Morales said is meant to raise awareness about the Texas Lions Camp for children with special needs.
The Odessa Downtown Lions Club also will have volunteers on hand.
Morales said the club uses proceeds from the concession stand at Ratliff Stadium to buy food for the next year with the remainder going to the camp. “Ever since I visited, I wanted to give something to them,” she said.
She added that she got the idea for the fun run/walk at the beginning of February and had to get a couple of things approved by the city. The park is located at 4819 N. Everglade Ave.
The course is two miles with optional obstacles meant to raise awareness to the challenges children with disabilities face. Cost is $20 for adults 18 and up and $10 for youth ages 10-17. Registration starts at 9 a.m.
“I’m a little nervous, but really excited,” Morales said. “But at the end of the day, it’s for Texas Lions Camp. As long as we can raise awareness and have something to give, that’s the most important thing.”
Sebolt said the students are doing an honorable deed. “It’s not something kids our age would be dong to raise awareness, but it’s nice to see kids giving back to the community,” he added.
Arenivas said she and Morales have volunteered with the Lions Club since seventh grade, which is when the two learned about the Texas Lions Camp.
Arenivas also is head of the Leo Club, which started this year and is aimed at youngsters age 12 to 18. She added that the Leo Club is new to the city of Odessa and the Lions’ district, which stretches out to El Paso.
Morales’ dad, optometrist Dr. Javier Morales, is a past president of the Downtown Lions and past district regional chairman. Arenivas’ mother is the secretary.
Javier Morales said it’s a great feeling to see the students putting the event together themselves with their own ideas. “It’s refreshing to see that not all the youth is bad. West Texas has some great youth. They have a great heart,” he said.
Sebolt said high school got him into volunteering for a lot of things. “It’s really noble to be part of something so great,” he added.
Sebolt and Morales are International Baccalaureate candidates at OHS and Arenivas is in the Advanced Placement program.
Morales plans to attend Texas A&M University and study engineering; Arenivas, the University of Texas of the Permian Basin for chemistry; and Sebolt to Texas Tech University for English.
All proceeds from the fun run/walk will go to the Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville. Volunteers from the Odessa Downtown Lions Club also will attend the event and the 87th Street Sonic is a major sponsor.
For more information, contact Alexis Morales at [email protected], or 413-1214.
