CHICAGO—Sister Stephanie Baliga, FSE, was known for her running when she was a student at Auburn High School in Rockford and at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

 

Now that she’s a member of the Franciscans of the Eucharist in Chicago, she’s still running. But now her efforts are to raise funds to pay for her community’s work on Chicago’s west side.

 

“We raise all of our money to keep our work going,” she wrote to The Observer. “One of the main ways we do that is through a fundraiser through the Chicago Marathon and the Shamrock Shuffle — a race in the spring in Chicago.”

 

The money is used for food pantries, after-school programs, senior citizens’ programs, community meals, and more from the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels.

 

“The fundraising minimum is going up for the Chicago Marathon” she added, “so I am trying to spread the word.”

 

It may seem early, but Nov. 29 is the day fundraising minimums will increase.

 

She is hoping to secure TEAM OLA’s fundraising minimum  —  $1,250 — by next week’s deadline. 

 

And Sister Stephanie, a 2:53 marathoner, is looking for runners to join Team OLA in the Shamrock Shuffle in March 2019 and the Chicago marathon in October 2019

 

Anyone who helps by joining her team for either the marathon or the Shamrock Shuffle will receive a T-shirt and overnight lodging before the race, attend a pre-race Mass and dinner with the rest of the team, and be assigned a personal “prayer warrior.” Sister Stephanie will also write a training plan for her team members.

 

The Shamrock Shuffle 8K race will be March 24, 2019, and the deadline to sign up for that race is March 1. 

Non-runners who want to help may contribute financially.

 

Sister Stephanie welcomes questions and teammates.

 

Info: Sister Stephanie Baliga, FSE, olamission@gmail.com;  773-486-8431