Thousands run for love with Johnson, TaiSPO

Report from TaiSPO Show Daily (March 20, 2013)

A few days before the opening of TaiSPO, the Taiwanese capital warmed up for the event with Run for Love, a non-profit event that was held on March 10 at the Meiti Riverside Park in Taipei. It was organized by Johnson Health Tech, the leading Taiwanese fitness equipment company, to raise money for charity and mark TaiSPO’s 40th anniversary.

More than 3,700 adults and children congregated at the park. Aged from 6 to 98 years, participants ranged from top athletes competing in the 12km race to fun runners who enjoyed a healthy Sunday morning with a leisurely 3 km run.

Harry Tsai, general manager of Johnson Health Tech, made a donation worth NT$600,000 ($20,165) on behalf of the company. The money went to the Chinese Children Home & Shelter Association (CCSA) to support orphans, children who have suffereed from abuse or those in families unable to provide proper parenting.

“This Run for Love is an opportunity to involve the wider community in the joy of TaiSPO’s birthday, and also to encourage companies to get more involved in corporate social respoinsibility,” said WAlter Yeh, executive vice-president of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, or TAITRA.

While most of the participants took part in the race by the river, Johnson Health Tech also set up its Run for Love truck near the starting line, for people who preferred to have a quick trot on a treadmill.

For every kilometer run on a Run for Love treadmill, Johnson will donate NT$100 ($3.36) to the CCSA.

To extend this social event, TAITRA is teaming up with Johnson again during TaiSPO.

The company has parked its Run for Love truck on the TWTC Plaza, right next to Hall 1, so that foreign buyers and other visitors may enjoy a relaxing run while also supporting the CCSA.