Coolock Running Club’s ‘Another Way 5K’ attracted hundreds to Belcamp Park last weekend.
This was the fifth year of the race, which highlights the availability of help for those involved with drugs and criminality, and is part of a local campaign to ‘Get the Message Out’ on alternatives to addiction.
The Another Way 5K is a collaboration between Coolock Running Club, local community organisations, Get The Message Out and endurance athlete, Ger Redmond.
Running played a huge part in transforming his life after imprisonment for involvement with drugs.
At the event, a Dublin man and his profoundly disabled cousin began an odyssey of seven running events, totalling 125km.
Brian Ellison, 41, from Clonshaugh, is giving his cousin once removed Luke O’Keeffe, 21, from Ballyfermot, the joy of taking part in major running events while raising funds for Stewarts Care Respite Services in Palmerstown.
Luke is a Spastic Quadriplegic with Cerebral Palsy, and is also blind. His adapted chair was provided by Brian’s fellow members at Coolock Running Club, and they were joined by his twin brother, Craig.
Donations to their fundraising efforts here: https://gofund.me/d7e8acc46
The Another Way 5K is one of a number of projects backed by the Darndale Implementation Oversight Group, a Dublin City Council initiative to tackle complex and engrained issues in Darndale.
Group chair, Dr Jack Nolan, said such events are needed to show communities affected by drugs that they are not forgotten.
“Darndale Another Way 5K encourages people to consider a different way of life by highlighting opportunities, services and activities,” he said.
Other supporting organisations include Active Cities Dublin, Archways Systemic Family Support, Northside Partnership, The Dales Centre, Sphere 17 Regional Youth Service, Sláinte Care Healthy Communities, Dublin City Council Sport and Wellbeing Partnership, Dublin City Council North Central Area Office, Darndale Football Club and An Garda Síochána.