Join Team RAF at the 2012 New York City Marathon and help us promote American and Russian dialogue through culture, sports, education, and health initiatives.

Click the big DONATE button or go one step further and help us fundraise by clicking the JOIN THE TEAM button to the right. You'll get your own fundraising page to share with all your amazing family and friends.

TEAM RAF FUNDRAISING MINIMUM PER RUNNER: $2,500

Reward Packages for Runners:
For Minimum Donation of $2,500: Team RAF ING NYC Marathon T-Shirt and Bolshoi Ballet Academy Summer Intensive water bottle.

For $5,000 Donation: All of the above AND two invitations to the 11th Annual Opening Ceremony of the Russian Heritage Festival in June 2013 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as placement of corporate advertisement in either Bolshoi Ballet Academy Program or the Russian Heritage Festival Program.
For $10,000 Donation: All of the above AND 2 invitations to any 5 private openings of RAF art special events in NYC through 2013, as well as placement of corporate logo in the Russian Heritage Festival 2013 NY Post segment.

By joining the RAF marathon team or donating to the team, supporters can help the Russian American Foundation promote greater understanding and dialogue between the people and cultures of America and Russia. US Ambassador to Russia Michael A. McFaul stated, “The Russian-American Foundation’s continued contributions to cultural, educational, and sports programs in the United States and Russia help foster greater understanding between the people of the United States and the Russian Federation.”

RAF’s ING NYC Marathon Team will support many of RAF’s valuable initiatives, including:

1. Annual Bolshoi Ballet Academy Summer Intensive Program: provides promising ballet students the opportunity to receive intensive, high-quality training that vastly improves their skills from Bolshoi Ballet Academy teachers. Until six years ago, this prestigious training, which is recognized as the best in the world and has produced many of the greatest stars on the world's ballet stages, was only available in Moscow and not accessible to students outside of Russia. Thanks to RAF’s Bolshoi Ballet Academy Summer Intensive, this training now takes place in NYC and Middlebury, CT and attracts talented young dancers from across the United States and from across the globe. Donations from the ING NYC Marathon’s Team RAF will help fund scholarships for gifted young dancers who would otherwise be unable to receive this unparalleled dance training and one of a kind cross-cultural opportunity. 

2. Battles on Ice:  RAF is proud to be the organizer of the goodwill bilateral initiative Battles on Ice which brings together FDNY Firefighters and Russian EMERCOM firefighters as well as NHL Rangers Alumni and Legends of USSR Hockey.  Annual games take place in New York City and Moscow. FDNY firefighters hockey team played side by side NY Rangers Alumni: Ron Duguay, Mark Janssens, Chris Kotsopulos, Steve Vickers, Ed Hospador, Dan Blackburn, Paul Stewart.  “The games speak to a bond that all firefighters have, no matter where they work, where they grew up, or where they were born.  All firefighters share that common bond of putting their lives on the line to help others.” said NYC Fire Commissioner Salvatore J. Cassano.

3. Annual Russian Heritage Festival ® continues the exciting and important tradition of celebrating the contributions and heritage of the global Russian speaking community, as well as NY’s Russian-American community. The month-long celebration of its heritage, arts, culture, sports, business and other spheres takes place throughout the month of June in New York City.

4. Russian American Health Coalition is a collaborative initiative between community groups, faith-based organizations and the public and private health care sectors to reach out to the health care system of New York and better connect it to the Russian speaking community, the 3rd largest ethnic group in the area, ensuring the best health care for the Russian speaking community of New York. 

Please refer to RAF’s website and the BBASI website for more information on the important programs that donations from Team RAF ING NYC Marathon will support:

(www.russianamericanfoundation.org / http://www.bolshoiballetacademy.com/index.php)

Russian American Foundation was founded in 1997 by Marina Kovalyov and Rina Kirshner. From day one, its mission has been to encourage interest in and understanding of Russian heritage among all communities in the US, as well as to promote reciprocal interest in American heritage among global Russian speaking communities. During the 15 years of its existence, and more than 20 years of experience in organizing Russian American exchanges by its founders, RAF has spearheaded numerous projects, large and small, which bridged the gap between the Russian American cultures, countries and people.

Thank you all for your support!

Click here to visit our official website.