M4MM 11th Annual 5k Fun Run/Walk and Shopping Day

As the holiday season approaches many families out there will be looking for a way to give back. Miles for Merry Miracles wants you to know there is an amazing way to work side by side with hundreds of your closest friends to make the 2018 holiday season memorable for local children living in poverty. Just one gift can make an unimaginable difference in an Angel Tree Child’s life.

“The Salvation Army is preparing for another year that families in our community will be looking to us to bring the magic of Christmas to their homes" Roxanne Haley, Business Manager, for The Salvation Army in New Albany, said. "With the need of services for our humblest of citizens we appreciate Miles for Merry Miracles’ strong commitment to continually serve hundreds of children in our community and to make sure those kids will have the opportunity to receive a gift this year. Their unique approach in getting hundreds of volunteers involved each year over the last 10 years is a testament that the youth in our community have made and will continue to make a difference in the lives of many."

Miles for Merry Miracles (M4MM) is a Southern Indiana community based, youth led organization that partners with the Salvation Army to provide hundreds of local children clothes, shoes, toys and food they might not otherwise have during the holidays.  In its 11^th year, the youth driven organization’s lofty goal of matching up 300 Angel with sponsors will put them to nearly 4800 angels since its humble beginning in 2008.

Angel Tree Sponsors can sign up at www.m4mm.org for the organizations 5k Community Fun Run/Walk on Dec 1 and Indiana’s largest Angel Tree Shopping Spree on Dec 8. Instead of paying a registration fee they commit to sponsor an Angel Tree Child(ren) through the M4MM program. Participants choose an “Angel” in need to adopt by selecting gender and age category. The site then emails the donor the adoptees first name, secure and private Angel Tree code along with sizes and categories, (beginning mid-November) and information about where to participate in the program’s run, Miles for Merry Miracles (M4MM) is a Southern Indiana community based, youth led organization that partners with the Salvation Army to provide hundreds of local children gifts and food they might not otherwise have during the holidays. 

 “In our eleventh year of offering the Miles for Merry Miracles Program, we wanted to offer the ability for individuals, families, coworkers, sports teams and other groups to make adopting a Salvation Army Angel an annual holiday tradition,” said Noah Hankins, 6 year M4MM Youth Board Member and Senior at Floyd Central High School. “By incorporating new enhancements to the adoption experience, supporters have the means to come together and significantly impact more families in need this season. Features such as online registration, angel category selection, and mobile accessibility, as well as bar code technology will make it easier for people to donate gifts. Each year, Miles for Merry Miracles (M4MM) provide hundreds of local children gifts and food they might not otherwise have during the holidays. 

 This year’s enhancements allow supporters to register for the run and/or to adopt and select a Salvation Army Angel Tree child on the Web at m4mm.org or by using a mobile browser. It is now easier for an individual, a family or a group to adopt multiple children. This year, there are new resources available for inviting others to join an adopting group on Facebook, making a donation to PayPal or GivGab, post on Pinterest and to send tweets.
 

“One of our goals is to help more individuals in the Southern Indiana area embrace a Physically Fit, Fiscally Fit and Spiritually Fit lifestyle while achieving a goal of sponsoring 350 Angel Tree Children in our community this holiday season,” said Tyler Barrett, 1st year board member. 

Again this year: Secret Santa Sponsorships: $25 to sponsor an Angel at the holiday celebration with elegant dinner, visit and pictures with Santa, toys, nonperishable food to take home, $25 Kroger Gift Card, entertainment, craft.  Register at www.m4mm.org to attend run, get free t-shirt or to donate.  Secret Santa Sponsors who would like to volunteer to help shop for angels can set up a GiveGab Team page at www.givegab.com/m4mm and we will put their $25 into their account to shop for angels. Secret Santas can team up with 3 other Secret Santas and shop for one Angel together.

The Miles for Merry Miracles Triple Crown of Service is a series of well-coordinated events to benefit The Salvation Army Angel Tree Program and members of our community. Individuals may participate in any or all three "legs" and should register online at www.m4mm.org to do the run/walk and or the area’s largest Angel Tree Shopping Spree. Participants of the program or those who commit to sponsoring an Angel Tree child with toys, shoes and clothing will receive a Free T-shirt and be eligible for prizes during the run and shopping event. There is no additional entry fee required to participate. The events are as follows:

1. Saturday, December 1st 10 a.m. (Early Registration beginning at 9 a.m.) will be the Miles for Merry Miracles 11^th Annual 5k Community Fun/Run Walk at the New Albany Amphitheatre. Contests and entertainment make this a fun event.
2. The following Saturday, December 8th from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. will be the area’s largest and most fun Angel Tree Shopping Spree at the Grant Line Road Wal-Mart in New Albany. Flash mob caroling, scavenger hunts, dedicated shopping lanes, tax free shopping and special discounts along with elf gear and snacks make this a shopping spree like no other.
3. Finally, on Saturday, December 15th the Miles for Merry Miracles Angel Tree Holiday Celebration will be held from 10 a.m. till 8 p.m.   Hundreds of preregistered volunteers will have the chance to participate in this life changing event when over 500 meals will be served to local children and their families. Children get to visit Santa, make crafts and enjoy live music

Please be sure to visit www.m4mm.org for more information, or contact Teresa Hebert, Program Director at [email protected] or call 812.923.1364.