Race for LACE raises $9,500 for human rights in Kenya

More than $9,500 was raised to support the Legal Aid Centre of Eldoret, aka LACE, by members of the Indianapolis legal community and their American and Kenyan friends participating in the third annual Race for LACE, held in conjunction with the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on May 5.

The Legal Aid Centre of Eldoret (LACE) in Kenya is a human rights law clinic working in close association with the Indiana University AMPATH (Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare) program. Since its founding in October 2008, LACE has represented more than 1,000 HIV/AIDS-affected AMPATH patients in cases including land and inheritance issues, gender-based violence prosecutions, defense from debt collection and criminal charges, and family law and defamation claims associated with HIV status.

Approximately 40 runners/walkers, many of them Indiana lawyers or law students, participated in either the 5k or 13.1 mile half-marathon races on behalf of LACE and met afterward with Benard Langat, a world-class runner from western Kenya. Langat finished third overall in the 500 Festival Mini Marathon and afterward took time to thank the Indiana runners for their support of LACE, which serves clients from his community. Sponsors of the Race for LACE 2012 included the Indianapolis Rotary Club, Faegre Baker & Daniels, Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP, Ice Miller LLP, Barnes & Thornburg and Ogletree Deakins & Taft.

Upcoming LACE event: the Joseph Maley Foundation Run, Walk, Roll on July 14. Registration information for this event can be found at http://www.josephmaley.org/5k-registration/. Race for LACE t shirts are available to participants as long as supplies last.

For more information about LACE or future Race for LACE events, please check www.lacekenya.com or contact Becca Shelton, randrshelton@gmail.com.