An impressive $350,000 raised by Vibha at its Annual Dream Mile Walk
“The kids in India have won today. It does not matter if I won or not” said Shiv Udutha when asked by a fellow participant if he had secured a prize. This sentiment captured the essence of the day—not just a celebration of individual achievements, but a collective commitment to making a positive impact on the world. This spirit was clearly visible on the faces of nearly 3,000 participants and volunteers who gathered for the 26th Annual Dream Mile on September 15th. For the record, Udutha did win—securing second place in the Men’s 5K Walk!
[Left] Vibha’s Annual Dream Mile Walk was attended by nearly 3,000 participants.
Rama R, co-lead of Dream Mile 2024, views himself as a foot soldier and feels he is able to contribute to this massive effort to transform the future of underprivileged children.
Held every year in mid-September, the Half-Marathon/ 10K/5K Run/Walk has become one of Atlanta’s most anticipated events, attracting both competitive runners and casual walkers alike. Building on the success of the Silver Jubilee event in 2023, this year’s Dream Mile welcomed 2,800 participants, 400 volunteers, and 40 sponsors, raising an impressive $350,000. These funds will make a lasting difference, supporting underprivileged children and creating opportunities for a brighter future. Locally, Vibha is excited to contribute to building a STEM lab at the International Community School in Decatur, which will benefit over 500 students annually.
The Dream Mile is much more than a race—it’s a major social event, especially for the Indian community in North Atlanta. It offered participants a chance to reconnect with old friends and network with local businesses and organizations in the sponsor section. Notable attendees, including Gopi Thotakura, the first Indian space tourist, inspired many high schoolers to contemplate their future career paths. Pramod Sajja, CEO and President of Paramount Software Solutions, the title sponsor of the DreamMile, Ramesh Maturu, President of Pyramid Consulting, the event sponsor for the 5K Walk, and Sheriff Ron Freeman spoke about their long association with Vibha and DreamMile. Srikanth Adumula, Vice President of Datum Technologies, Ganesh Krishnakumar, SVP of Equifax, Preeti Desai, SVP of Equifax, Cecelia Mao, Chief Product Office of Equifax, and Henry Rutherford, CIO of the Department of Corrections, State of GA spoke briefly before giving away prizes to the winners.
Pramod Sajja presided over presenting a check for $50,000 from Vibha to International Community School to establish a STEM lab at the school. Ramesh Maturu presented a check of $20,000 on behalf of Vibha to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Helena Randall and Vanessa Sanchez Monge won the Half-Marathon for women in the Below-40 and Above-40 age categories respectively. Daniel Chang won the Half-Marathon in the Men Below-40 category and Ankit Patel took the honors in the Above-40 category. Pratima Yellayi and James Baxter won the 10K Run Overall in the Women and Men categories respectively. Mona Reddy won the 5K Run Overall in the Women category and Suraj Edara took the prize in the Overall Men category. Nikke Patel and Yaswanth Jonnalagadda won the first prize in the 5K Walk Women and Men Overall categories respectively.
[Right] Vibha Dream Mile saw accolades and awards for the deserving participants.
The event’s success was the result of extensive behind-the-scenes planning to ensure everything ran smoothly on race day. Despite some unpredictable weather, all races started on time, and the day unfolded seamlessly. Volunteers played a crucial role, managing everything from course monitoring to water stations, start and finish lines, and even providing CPR-certified support.
The enthusiasm at the Vibha booth was a testament to the ongoing support from the Atlanta community. Balaji Iyer co-lead of DreamMile says “Dream Mile is more than just a run—it’s a celebration of the power of community coming together to make a difference. When we unite for a common cause, we create ripples of impact that uplift underprivileged children and pave the way for a brighter future”
Vibha recognized Balaji Iyer with the “Volunteer of the Year” award for his leadership and commitment. Vibha also recognized Seema Pillay and Pankaj Zanke with the “Star Volunteer” awards for their contributions. Vibha encourages the youth to be more active in local volunteering through Vibha clubs in their respective schools. Radhesh Gupta was awarded the “Youth Volunteer of the Year” and Radhika Kulkarni and Kyle Yan were awarded the Youth Star Volunteer Awards.
| Remember, we have new Website Bonus Features that are not in the print magazine. Every time you see the W symbol in the print magazine, you can go to our website to see additional print or audiovisual material! |
|
Submitting your report for consideration in Around Town Please send post event reports for consideration in the Around Town section to AroundTown@khabar.com. Publication of reports is based on several criteria including the volume of reports submitted for a given issue. Guidelines for the reports are on our website at http://www.khabar.com/magazine/around-town/guidelines_for_submitting_reports_to_around_town. Deadline: 15th of each month—for consideration in the following month. However, chances of inclusion are better if reports are received well in advance of the deadline – where possible, e.g. within 3-7 days of the event.
|
Enjoyed reading Khabar magazine? Subscribe to Khabar and get a full digital copy of this Indian-American community magazine.
