It started on Wednesday nights.

Margaret Watson Rivera was a lifelong runner, a working mom, and a longtime co-captain of Venados Running Club alongside her husband. She finished 27 marathons, including Chicago, Boston, and New York, plus three Ironmans and a 50K.

Margaret was always chasing her next PR, but she believed running is a community sport, and she loved sharing it with everyone. After her son was born, she wanted to pass that passion on to the next generation. She won grant funding to bring a Marathon Kids program to Pilsen, and it became the start of VRC's youth work. She was a co-founder of VRC Community NFP. This is her legacy.

Margaret loved celebrating her birthday with all the people she loved. She used to say, "I don't want the party to end." So we're giving her the party she deserves and carrying on the work she cared about most. This year her birthday falls on a Wednesday: run club night.

Our mission: VRC uses running and movement to raise confident kids, support families, and strengthen the communities we live in.

Your gift funds: Our first priority is outfitting student-athletes. We'll give students and track teams the shoes, jerseys, and gear they need to run.

Where we're headed: Our vision is a world where mentorship and movement travel together, and every neighborhood has a place that believes in the people who walk through the door.

Every gift, at the party or online, helps keep her work going.

Margaret's Birthday Fundraiser!

VRC Community Launch

Team Members