The Montana Women’s Run announced donations to women’s and children’s health and fitness programs in the Billings community from funds raised this year.  With this year’s contributions, the Montana Women’s Run has donated over $1,727,500 to local organizations that promote women’s and children’s health and fitness.

This year’s funds are donated to six worthy causes, including the YWCA, $23,000; Billings Clinic Foundation, $26,000; Rocky Mountain College Women’s Cross-Country and Track Scholarship Programs, $5,000; MSU-Billings Women’s Cross-Country and Track Scholarship Programs, $5,000; Billings YMCA, $23,000, Montana Amateur Sports for Yellowstone Elementary School Cross Country Race and Big Sky Fit Kids, $8,000.

The YWCA provides services to women through their Gateway House, domestic violence training, transitional living facility and other programs that are not otherwise available in the Billings community. The YWCA has partnered with the Montana Women’s Run for many years.

Billings Clinic’s Women’s Wellness program provides health screenings, including mammograms, pap smears, and blood panels, for women who are underinsured or without insurance. Since 2001, the year the Montana Women’s Run began donating to the Billings Clinic Women’s Wellness Fund, the fund has helped over 4,000 women by providing payment for preventative screenings, including mammograms, pap smears, office visits and lab panels.

Rocky Mountain College uses the funds to award a scholarship to a female in its cross-country or track programs. Rocky has supported the Montana Women’s Run for decades by providing space for the event’s 8-week Getting Started Clinics and the Kids’ Run. Awarding the scholarship to a female cross-country or track runner recognizes the Montana Women’s Run commitment to health and fitness.

MSU-B also uses the funds for a scholarship for a female cross-country or track runner.  The women on the MSU-B women’s cross-country and track teams have served as positive role models to all young people in our community, competing in and volunteering for the run years after graduation.