“Trying something different…”
After seeing an influx of cases involving drugs and alcohol (often with repeat offenders) a North Dakota district court judge decided to try something different!
“I decided we should try something different to break the cycle of addiction, crime and jail, so in 2014 I started a running program for individuals in recovery from addiction,” says Judge David Reich.
The program is called Runners Against Destructive Decisions (RADD). Many of the RADD participants come from drug court and set a goal of completing a 5K, either running or walking, and train with RADD to accomplish that goal.
Now, It Takes Two & KFGO Radio is helping participants with one of the most essential parts of the program: running shoes!
Help us get 100 pair of running shoes!
Please bring your gently used men’s running shoes to the KFGO Studios: 1020 25th Street South, Fargo, ND, Monday – Friday from 8am – 5pm.
(Judge David Reich, in the KFGO Studio, hear him in the podcast above!)
RADD runs three days a week year round, with Saturday being their best attended day to which Judge Reich attributes their camaraderie, “We sit around and talk and have bagels, bananas, juice and coffee after our Saturday runs and I think that time may be as valuable as the exercise for some of our participants.”
With that said, while the program provides a healthy lifestyle alternative for individuals in recovery, the RADD program also breaks down barriers and builds community and relationships. “When we put on our running shoes, everyone is a runner and everyone is treated the same no matter what walk of life you come from,” says Judge Reich. It’s about rebuilding strength, mentally and physically.
For their newest venture, volunteers are running with residents of the Missouri River Correctional Center. However, the shoes provided to them are not sufficient to run in without pain or injury. IT TAKES SHOES!
(Residents – and runners! – at the Missouri River Correctional Center (MRCC) and RADD volunteers)
We are hoping to get 100 pair of running shoes to help keep their program MOVING.
Drop your donation off at our KFGO studios today!
Additional content:
KFGO Podcast –
David Rush: 100+ Guinness World Records Broken
KFGO Podcast –
Beyond the Headline: “Sunscreen is getting into our bloodstream”
KFGO Podcast –
Pakkage – A New App For Shipping, Receiving and Delivering
(Amy Iler & JJ Gordon are talk-show hosts at 790 AM KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. “It Takes 2 with Amy & JJ” can be heard weekdays 11am-2pm. Check out the show page on
FACEBOOK.
Follow Amy on Twitter
@AmyKFGO
. Follow JJ on Twitter
@JJGodon701
.)
