Dozens of OVS students, teachers and parents woke up before sunrise on two occasions in the second semester to staff marathon aid stations and raise money for their teams.
Volunteers from the OVS volleyball, track and cross country teams handed out water and electrolytes to runners at the Ventura Marathon on Feb. 22 and the Mountains 2 Beach marathon on April 19.
The fundraisers brought in nearly $1,000 for the track, cross-country, and volleyball teams, providing a helpful boost to programs that depend on additional funding.
“The marathon fundraiser was great,” said volleyball coach Joli Ruby, one of the teacher participants for both marathon races. “It was a great way to support the runners and see how marathons work.”
Students were encouraged to volunteer their time for the event. To keep volunteers motivated, cross country coach Fred Alvarez, one of the main organizers, treated students to a Starbucks drink, adding a fun reward to the long day.
Throughout both marathon races, OVS student-athletes not only handed out water but they cheered on the thousands of runners who made their way through the Ojai Valley before heading to Ventura.
“It went very well,” coach Alvarez said. “Lots of enthusiastic volunteers did a lot of good work.”
Volunteers said it was exciting to be part of such a large event and to see how their work directly supported both runners and school teams.
“Being in cross country, I thought it would be a good way to support local runners and our school’s sports teams,” said OVS junior Aashna Higbee, one of the student volunteers.
Their efforts kept participants going while also demonstrating teamwork and dedication to the community.
“It is a good way for our runners and volleyball players to contribute to the community,” Mr. Alvarez said. “It is also a good way to raise money for our sports teams,”
The cross country team has been volunteering at both marathon races for several years, and this year that opportunity was extended to the volleyball program. This year’s volunteer effort perhaps laid the groundwork for even more involvement next year for the OVS sports teams.
Overall, the marathon fundraiser showed how student initiative can make a real difference, supporting school sports while bringing the OVS community closer together.
“It felt good seeing our work help the runners, especially when we cheered them on and saw their smiles as they passed by,” said OVS junior Akyra Wachter, the school’s athletic representative and a student participant.