AUSTIN, Texas, January 30, 2002 -- GENaustin, a local non-profit organization that helps adolescent girls develop and maintain healthy self-esteem, will be the beneficiary of $15,000 in proceeds from the 2002 3M Half Marathon and Relay to be held Sunday, February 3.

The 3M Half Marathon and Relay is Austin's third-largest road racing event and consists of:

• The Half Marathon is a 13.1 mile marathon beginning at 7:35 a.m. at the Gateway Shopping Center and finishing at the Austin Recreation Center.
• The Half Marathon Relay runs concurrently with the marathon. One member of the relay team runs the first 6 miles, the second runs the remaining 7.1 miles.
• The 5K Fun Walk/Run begins at 7:30 a.m. at HEB Central Market.
• The Kids' Race is a 0.3 mile, noncompetitive fun run for children eight years old and under that begins at 10 a.m. at House Park Field.

3M chose GENaustin as the local non-profit beneficiary because it reaches out to girls during the formative years of early adolescence. "Part of our corporate focus for giving is middle school-age children," said 3M's Community Affairs Manager Russell Bridges. "The middle school years are often tough years--it’s when kids make it or break it. We’ve got to get in there and show them that their opportunities are limited only by themselves, and GENaustin does that by focusing on self-esteem."

More than 3000 participants and more than 500 volunteers are expected at the event. GENaustin volunteers will staff water stops along the race route, and GENaustin's executive director Anita Mennucci will be running in the half marathon. Donna Van Fleet, who chairs GENaustin's board of directors, will be available at the finish line.

The awards ceremony will take place at the finish line at 10:30 a.m. where cash prizes totaling $11,000 will be split among the winners. Ms. Mennucci, along with many GENaustin volunteers, high school GENclub facilitators and girls from the community, will be given the $15,000 check between 11 and 11:30 a.m. For more information about the race, visit http://www.3m.com/races.

About GENaustin
Formally known as the Ophelia Project, GENaustin is a local non-profit organization committed to helping girls grow into healthy, confident women valued for what is inside and not outside themselves. GENaustin works with other local organizations to foster the emotional well-being of adolescent girls as they are affected by the local community and American cultures. Inspired by the book, "Reviving Ophelia: saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls," the organization was formed in 1996 in Austin. For additional information about GENaustin and the 3M Half Marathon and Relay, please contact 512/851-8100 or visit http://www.genaustin.org.

This site was last updated on 1/04/2005.

Copyright © GENaustin, Inc. 2001. All rights reserved. GEN, GENaustin, and GENaustin logos used and displayed herein are registered and unregistered trademarks of GENaustin, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks and logos used herein are the property of their respective owners. Email us at office@genaustin.org.