Team Shania! Charity Race for Opportunity Village

The Great Santa Run for Opportunity Village

Just over a week ago I froze my little bum off running for Team Shania to raise money for Opportunity Village in Las Vegas. Honestly, I haven’t run over a mile since high school, so I never imagined I’d be up to anything requiring running shoes. My workouts consists of a mat and a hot, sweaty yoga room so this whole race concept was totally out of my comfort zone. When we heard that Shania Twain would be the Grand Marshall for the race and that there was a “Team Shania,” it was a no brainer that we had to represent the band. So the “stringers” of the band (me: viola & fiddle, Jen: violin & fiddle, Mandy: cello & fiddle) and Shania’s sister and vocalist, Carrie, carried the torch for our bandmates and production crew.

Mandy and I picked up the race gear (full on Santa suits) at Opportunity Village, a not-for-profit organization that serves people in the Southern Nevada community with intellectual disabilities to enhance their lives and give them job opportunities to support themselves. Also known as “Las Vegas’ favorite charity.”

So of course our Santa gear had to be blinged out! Bedazzled beards, belts, hats, and pants made into Mrs. Claus skirts.

Team Shania!

Arts and crafts in the hotel room at 2 am the night before the race…

Race day!

I’m so excited to announce that Team Shania raised the most money out of any team for Opportunity Village! I personally was able to raise up $515 from my awesome sponsors and as a team we raised over $11,000! Photo opp below with Santa to recognize Team Shania!

Nothing puts you in the holiday spirit more than running a 5k race breathing through a bedazzled Santa beard. No joke, I ran the whole race with my beard in tact…I had no scarf and I was freezing! I’m so proud of the work we put in and the money we raised, oh and of course the show that we rocked that evening too! Go Team Shania!