Supporting a Good Cause

Montgomery County prosecutors, public defenders and workers in other county departments often get involved with charitable work outside of their day jobs and should be congratulated and thanked for the support they give to charities countywide.

A good example, county Assistant District Attorney Lindsay O’Brien has been volunteering in her spare time to help plan the Superhero 5K/1 Mile Fun Run for Variety - the Children’s Charity of the Greater Delaware Valley, which provides services for kids with physical and developmental disabilities.

“This is one of the biggest fundraisers that Variety does every year and it’s one of the best ways to bring awareness about Variety,” said O’Brien, explaining the fundraiser is organized specifically by Young Variety, a board that is comprised of young professionals who assist the organization.

“I’m going to do the walk,” O’Brien laughed. “I’m not a runner.”

Montco Asst. District Attorney Lindsay O'Brien

In addition to prosecuting criminals by day, O’Brien is a board member of Young Variety during her off time and is part of the promotional committee for the upcoming run.

The event is being held at 8 a.m. Sept. 19 at Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia. Registration opens at 6:30 a.m.

The Variety Club Camp and Development Center has had a lot of success building confidence in kids with disabilities at its 80-acre facility along Potshop Road in Worcester, Montgomery County. The Variety Club Camp, which serves youths between the ages of 5 and 21 with special needs, is a program offered by Variety’s Greater Philadelphia chapter, which is a branch of the national Variety nonprofit.

I think Cheryl Kehoe Rogers, content editor at The Times Herald, said it best in a column she wrote in May.

“Bottom line – Variety Club needs money. The parents and professionals that are really hands-on with Variety Club fundraising are doing everything they can to keep this beautiful place afloat. But, there are so many needs to be met...,” Rogers wrote, adding if Variety Club goes away “so do the programs for these great kids who don’t have a lot of options.”

The camp’s 80-acre facility operates as a day and overnight camp during the summer, and this season had about 200 campers a day at the facility, according to published reports. During the winter, the camp becomes a weekend retreat facility and offers a vocational program during the week.

“Variety has a camp that serves kids with developmental disabilities that allows kids who might not otherwise go to camp to go to camp during the summer at a place that’s specifically designed for their special needs,” O’Brien said. “It’s a charity that’s constantly in need of as much funding as it can get to be able to support the kids.”

Sponsorship opportunities for the run are also available. For more information about the race or to sign up, check out the website at www.varietyphila.org

“We had a pretty good turnout last year,” said O’Brien, who hopes for a strong show of support during this Saturday’s run.

So put on your running or walking shoes and get out there to help a great organization.

And kudos to O'Brien for her charitable work.