Conversation about adoption and foster care is gaining momentum and speed. Rich Pais, founder of Wilkes-Barre Racing, believes this conversation has legs– legs that can swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles, all in one day.
 Pais, an Ironman triathlon athlete, has tied athletic events and adoption together in order to raise awareness and money for foster care and adoption.
Wilkes-Barre Racing is a nonprofit organization that relies on athletic events and athletes to participate in “out of the box” events. The concept was generated from Pais’s involvement with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption two years ago, while participating in an Ironman triathlon in Lake Placid, New York. Pais and his wife have two adopted children, a daughter from Mexico and a son adopted through Luzerne County.
“I did an Ironman once before and I thought, ‘if I’m going to do this again, let’s make it about more than me.’ I hooked up with the Foundation because it’s probably the nation’s largest advocacy group. They are information, education– just trying to get the word out about adoption and foster care,” Pais said.
Pais and local Wendy’s franchise owner, Steve Kepic, worked together and helped raise $42,000 for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption during their first “Ironman for Adoption” campaign.
The reason behind connecting athletes and athletic events with adoption and foster care awareness is Pais’s belief that athletic events draw people with type-A personalities, like himself, who tend to be a little more aggressive and popular in their community.
“Everybody knows what foster care and adoption are, but not everybody’s willing to do it. So we’re trying to move hearts through one-on-one relationships, one-on-one onversations,” he said.
Wilkes-Barre Racing will host its “Second Annual Wendy’s Wonderful Kid’s Half Marathon and 10k Run” on September 3rd at the River Commons Park, in Wilkes-Barre, as well as a “Valley’s Fastest Man” series the night before. Last year’s half marathon and 10K run was a huge success, attracting 400 runners from more than 13 states and raising $5,000 for the Children’s Service Center of Wyoming Valley.
Other past events include “Pocono Xterra Trail Run Series”, in which runners faced streams, trails, fields, and cliffs through the Seven Tubs Nature area, Big Pocono State Park, and Hickory Run State Park. Last year, Wilkes-Barre Racing organized a “Health and Fitness Festival” in Wilkes-Barre.
“This was completely out of the box,” said Pais. “We did a day and a half of racing through the streets of downtown Wilkes-Barre on a Saturday, through all the neighborhoods. We had a DJ, music, and free pancake breakfast, all set at the River Common.”
Pastor Reginald Thomas, a retired high school cross country coach from Dallas and Crestwood, is the athletic director behind many of these events.
“We are hoping that the people who come to participate in these outstanding events understand that it’s not just about running a race or completing the course, it’s about helping with adoption and becoming more aware of the needs of the children and the need for a loving family,” said Thomas.
Pais advocates keeping the conversation of adoption going, especially to those who are a part of the foster care and adoption community. Those involved in the community receive T-shirts at the events that read, “I’m adopted.”
“If you said to me or anyone in the foster care adoption community, ‘I’ll give you $10,000 or 10 new foster families,’ I’d say, ‘I’ll take the 10 families,’” said Pais. “It’s not about the money. It’s about getting people to step forward and take these kids into their lives.”
Through their efforts and unique events, the volunteers at Wilkes-Barre Racing have received positive feedback from the mayor and various media outlets, such as the Citizen’s Voice, which offered to implement a Wilkes- Barre Racing “Child of the Week” feature every Sunday. It will be the first feature like this for the publication.
According to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, 125,000 children are in foster care– 115,000 are available for adoption right now and, unfortunately, more become available than are actually adopted.
“People turn out for this cause in a way they don’t turn out for other things. It’s closer to humanity; it’s closer to people’s hearts; everyone was a child,” Pais concluded.
For more information about upcoming events and how to volunteer, visit www.wilkesbarreracing.com. For more information about adoption and foster care in the Wyoming Valley, visit the Children’s Service Center of Wyoming Valley website at www.cscwv.org/cscwv.
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