AL-KHOBAR – More than 10,000 people, including handicapped children, participated in Eastern Province 13th Annual Charity Run held at the Al-Khobar Corniche last weekend to raise funds for the benefit of obese children.

The fun run is a yearly event organized by the Saudi Diabetic Association, which launched a year-round program to help overweight and obese children. Organizers were encouraged by the high turnout of participants.

“This is the biggest so far. Some 8,000 registered to take part in the run, but we did not expect more than 10,000 people. It was a fantastic and successful event,” said Fayez Habib Marcos, coordinator of the fun run.

The first part of the run had 50 physically handicapped children, including several in wheelchairs, participate a five-kilometer run.

The idea of an annual charity run came about because the people of the Eastern Province are well-established in charity work and cherish their country and community.

The idea was advanced into action by a number of sincere businessmen, charity donors and parents of some students. It materialized based on a professional system that depends largely on volunteers who became models of generosity, giving and the love of good deeds throughout the years of charity occasions with revenues directed to charity services for important sectors of the society that needed them.