Megan VerHelst
Staff Reporter

The spirit of giving has always been one of the true meanings of Christmas. This holiday season, NIACC staff and faculty had the opportunity to give to a good cause by donating their time and money to the annual Jingle Bell Run (and walk) for Arthritis.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, this crippling disease is one of the leading causes of disability in the nation. It is the Foundation's mission to find a cure for it, and the Jingle Bell Run is one of its many efforts to do so through funds contributed by the goodwill of participants.

NIACC engineering and mathematics instructor David Bernemann was in charge of recruiting participants at NIACC.

"My wife was in charge of a local organizational committee for the event," Bernemann said on why he became involved three years ago. It was ultimately Bernemann's wife's idea to start a team at NIACC, so in support, Bernemann became team captain. As a member of the NIACC Wellness Com-mittee, which promotes the event, Bernemann said he thought it a natural move to take part in it.

According to Bern-emann, the NIACC team often has one of the largest in number of participants.

"The process of recruiting people was very low key," Bernemann said.

He tried to encourage others through signs, emails and reminders to past team members.

"I would also like to start recruiting students, as well as staff and faculty," Bernemann said. The annual event was held at Southbridge Mall in Mason City on Saturday, December 6. Events held included a five and two-mile outdoor run, a two-mile outdoor walk and a two-mile indoor walk.

Registration for the event was free. As an added bonus for participants, refresh-ments, awards and door prizes were given out after the runs and walks were completed.

Donations for the event were made by free will, either by the participants themselves or by friends and family of participants. All funds were to go to the Arthritis Foundation in an attempt to find a cure for the disease.

"This is a very prevalent cause to support," Bernemann said. "It deals with a wide range of diseases that affects a lot of people."

The Jingle Bell Run is an annual event. NIACC staff and faculty, as well as students, will have a chance to participate next year.

All one would have to do is contact David Bernemann at NIACC for information regarding the event.

"Through events like these, there has been a lot of progress in finding a cure since arthritis first came into play," Bernemann said, about the disease that affects young as well as old. "This lets people know that they don't have to suffer and there are ways to deal with it."