• 4K 4Charity goes virtual for charity fun run, raising more than $20,000 
  • Funds raised for NAB run will go to coronavirus charities and diversity causes 
  • Charity confirms IBC2020 and SMPTE fun run will also be held virtually 

Nab 2018 exhibition

NAB: 4K 4Charity’s virtual event raises over $20,000

The 4K 4Charity’s virtual event has raised over $20,000 in donations for organisations that provide Covid-19 relief and non-profits focused on increasing diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.

The virtual fun run, which was held in partnership with NAB in place of the physical event’s cancellation, took place between 21 April 21 and 1 June, attracting supporters representing 158 companies across 24 countries.  

Virtual event registrants signed up for a 4K (2.49 mile) or 8K (4.97 mile) distance and completed a route of their choice at their own pace, whether that was on one day or across several days. 

A portion of proceeds from this 4K 4Charity virtual event benefit UNICEF. The event also raises funds for the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), which builds a more equitable industry by teaching programming to K-12 girls and inspiring Latinas to pursue careers in tech. 

The charity, which has raised more than $1 million for charitable causes since it was founded by by the late Sam Blackman at IBC in 2014. Since then, runs have been held at SMPTE, IBC, and NAB shows. 

IBC2019 4K 4Charity

Covid-19 has led to the cancellation of a number of industry events, so the 4K 4Charity has confirmed the virtualisation of the entire 2020 series of 4K and 8K runs, including those planned for the IBC Show in September, a community event in Portland, Oregon, and the SMPTE Annual Tech Conference in November. 

“Congratulations to all our sponsors and individual supporters! You have made an impact—and history by completing our first-ever 4K 4Charity virtual run. And while we missed seeing everyone in person, it was inspiring to see the many creative ways participants completed their 4K or 8K distances, from using furry, four-legged friends as pace setters to running with abandon through a sunny field wearing an inflatable dragon costume,” said Laura Barber, co-founder of the 4K 4Charity Fun Run Series.  

“Thank you for setting a new pace for our industry with your commitment and your generosity. We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming virtual run soon—and keep sharing your pictures and videos with the online community.”  

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