NEBRASKA, March 3 - Media Contacts:  

Taylor Gage, 402-471-1970

Justin Pinkerman, 402-471-1967

Photo Release:

Gov. Ricketts Receives Award for Pro-Life Leadership

LIFE Runners Founder Dr. Pat Castle (right) and teammate Bernadette Costello

(left) present the 2019 LIFE Runners Leadership Award to Gov. Ricketts (center).

OMAHA – Today, LIFE Runners presented Governor Pete Ricketts with its 2019 leadership award in recognition of his work to strengthen the pro-life culture in Nebraska. 

Founded by Dr. Pat Castle in 2008, LIFE Runners has more than 14,000 teammates in 39 nations and over 2,500 cities.  Omaha is the city with the most teammates at around 1,500.  Statewide, 2,600 Nebraskans—including Gov. Ricketts—are LIFE Runners teammates at 21 chapters, 17 of which are school chapters.

The nonprofit organizes cross-country relay races to raise support for pro-life causes.  In 2019, the LIFE Runners relay began in four separate cities—Grand Forks, North Dakota; New York City; San Antonio; and San Francisco—and converged at the finish line in Overland Park, Kansas.  The relay spanned 5,359 miles, and more than 100 LIFE Runners chapters took part.  The 2020 Life Runners Relay will take place in July and is scheduled to come through Omaha on July 31^st.  Details are available by clicking here.

Governor Ricketts has been an outspoken proponent of pro-life policies.  Earlier this year, he called for a statewide day of prayer to end abortion in Nebraska and participated in the March for Life in Lincoln.  On Monday of this week, he urged Nebraskans to support LB 814, a bill introduced by Senator Suzanne Geist to prohibit the gruesome practice of dismemberment abortion in the state.

To learn more about LIFE Runners, visit www.liferunners.org.