Beth Jarvie, mother of two and dedicated supporter of the Foundation, enjoys running for a cause. However, until a few years ago, she had never even been in a race. It wasn’t until one of her friends convinced her to compete in a half marathon raising funds for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy that she discovered her love for the sport. Today, Beth is a dedicated runner who competes in races all along the East Coast.

For years, Beth has been an active volunteer for and supporter of organizations including the Foundation. She began her involvement with the Foundation through her friendship with the Belfiore family (Bill Belfiore is on the Foundation’s board of directors, and his family is part of the organization’s Foundation Ambassadors Program). After joining the Foundation on the first annual AIDS Walk Africa in South Africa in 2003, Beth’s involvement grew. She was able to experience the efforts of the Foundation firsthand, and saw the need for continued support of the Foundation’s work.

Combining her two passions, Beth participated in the Unite Half Marathon on April 18, 2010 at Rutgers University in support of the Foundation. Beth established the “Our Moment” team, and raised more than $2,000 for the Foundation. In addition to donations, Beth made it a point to raise awareness about the Foundation and pediatric AIDS. In her role as team leader, she requested participants become familiar with the Foundation website so that they could educate others and introduce individuals to the global fight against pediatric AIDS.

Beth is motivated to continue her passionate giving following the completion of her first marathon. Through her dedication and outreach, Beth has introduced hundreds of people to the Foundation, and has inspired new supporters in the fight to eliminate pediatric AIDS. In addition to her support of the Foundation, she recently established a nonprofit of her own, collecting used soccer equipment from local schools to send to communities in Africa. The communities that receive the donated equipment establish youth soccer programs that reach young adults and children with education about important issues such as HIV/AIDS.

“One of the most rewarding parts of the marathon was being able to do something I enjoyed while introducing new people to the Foundation,” she says. Beth is organizing a Foundation team for the Unite Half Marathon again next April. For more information on the race, please click here. If you would like to register for the “Our Moment” team, please email Beth at JointheMoment@gmail.com.