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Tallahasseeans Give Helping Hand to Indian Orphans

By Tom Flanigan

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-886755.mp3

Tallahassee, FL – Caring and giving isn't the exclusive province of big charity organizations. Tom Flanigan came across a few folks in Tom Brown Park on Saturday working up a sweat to help abandoned children half a world away.

There was an informal awards ceremony for those who took part. Jessica Cooksey was one of the event organizers.

"We just had some awesome friends come out. They did spectacular, ran a 5K and hopefully just draw some awareness for our kids over in India and have some fun doing it."

They are helping the kids at Asha Mission, a small orphanage outside Delhi in India that Jessica saw as a nursing student not long ago.

"There are fourteen boys, thirteen girls, and they go to a government school there. We're just trying to set up a sponsorship program because right now the funding is pretty minimal."

Between Saturday's run and some benefit house parties, the money has been rolling in.

"So far we've raised around thirty-eight hundred dollars. So that's pretty significant, and that's carrying through a lot. It goes so far in India."

Another Asha team member, Amanda Brunk, says every little bit helps.

"You know, someone told me, 'Well, it's just a drop in the bucket. There's too many kids out there, too many kids in India to help.' But one drop as compared to doing nothing is significant."