Saturday, April 30th marked the 6th consecutive year of the Ruta La Paz fundraiser race in Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica. Click here to check out the winners.

This year’s event consisted of a 10k run and a 5k run, including an extra non-competitive race for kids at the end. It started at 6am.

The air was filled with music and energy, and afterward everyone rocked out to Zumba. We wrapped up the morning with a feast of fresh watermelon and breakfast at Marie’s and then called it a day.

Proceeds from the fundraiser go straight to Casa Brasilito — a community center that works toward alleviating social problems and promoting economic development in the coastal zone.

Casa Brasilito offers the community free classes available 6 days per week, including English and computer courses, art, surfing, swimming and sports. An on-site psychologist offers free care for children, young adults and their families. 

Working alongside the local food bank and the Potrero fruit and vegetable stand, they provide monthly packages of basic goods to families in need. In return, the women in these families donate their time and volunteer at Casa Brasilito, putting energy back into the organization.

Think of Casa Brasilito as a community superpower, uniting the strengths of La Paz Community School, CEPIA and Abriendo Mentes. All three of these organizations do incredible work on their own, but as a combined force the results are astounding. 

Since 2014, these groups have worked hard to bring help and learning opportunities for both adults and children in Brasilito — a place where, sadly, many residents live in extreme poverty with families suffering from drug and alcohol addiction and/or domestic violence.

We’d like to thank to everyone that participated in this year’s Ruta La Paz fundraiser. Official sponsors include Sansa, Bahia del Sol, Tamarindo Family Photos, Flamingo Beach Resort, Grafika, La Plaza, The Jungle Gym and Mar Vista. 

Many thanks to everyone at La Paz Community School, CEPIA, Abriendo Mentes, Reserva Conchal and the Westin and Victoria Bonilla for putting all the pieces together.

Photo Credits:

Genna Marie Robustelli  of Tamarindo Family Photos

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Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.