When West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) third-year student Vincent Morra dreamed up the “Feed More in 24” virtual race, he didn’t know he’d end up running 100 miles in 24 hours — and raising $13,070 for a local food charity in the process.
“It’s a mental game,” said Morra, who enlisted a team to help him stay hydrated, fed and motivated during the May 16-17 fundraising event he helped create. “The body is able to do it, but the trick is getting your mind to believe you can do it.”
WVSOM, the school’s Center for Rural and Community Health (CRCH), the WVSOM Foundation and the WVSOM Alumni Association partnered in the “Feed More in 24” challenge, which called on participants to walk or run within their communities, find sponsors and donate the funds to a food charity of their choice. With his own 100-mile run, Morra raised $8,070 for Feeding Seniors/Saving Businesses. On June 3, the WVSOM Foundation and CRCH presented a donation at WVSOM’s Clingman Center for Community Engagement matching $5,000 of that amount, for a total of $13,070 going to the Greenbrier County-based program.
Besides Morra, four other members of the WVSOM community participated in the challenge — new graduates Lindsey Kent and Lauren Searls, alumna Elizabeth Clark, D.O., and staff member Christie Trent. In all, the event raised $14,585 for four West Virginia food charities, also including the Lewisburg-Fairlea food pantry, the Manna Meal soup kitchen in Charleston, W.Va., and the Mountaineer Food Bank in Gassaway, W.Va.
Jennifer Keadle Mason, who founded Feeding Seniors/Saving Businesses earlier this year, said Morra’s run will be of great benefit in helping the program provide food for those in need of assistance. She said the funds will be used to purchase produce from West Virginia farmers and present it to seniors and food bank recipients.
“The hard work of Vincent and the partnership with WVSOM will enable us to feed 308 West Virginia families for a month,” Mason said. “We couldn’t be more grateful.”
WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., said that part of the medical school’s mission is to encourage community engagement and that a lack of access to food is particularly an issue in West Virginia.
“This is an acute problem in our state, and it’s even more important now, with the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “There’s a desperate need to feed people. I can’t think of a better way to serve others, and I’m proud of our students who are working to actively help others in their communities.”