The PyCon US Blog

We're really happy to be holding our fourth annual 5K Charity Fun Run on Saturday April 11 at 7 AM, before day two of PyCon kicks off. The event was introduced in Santa Clara and has been fun for everyone involved and each year has raised money for a bunch of great causes. This year's proceeds benefit Autism Speaks Canada ! Everyone is invited to come out and join us on the course which snakes along the Port of Montreál just a short walk from the conference center and hotels. Whether you're a runner, walker, or someone who just wants to come out and support Autism Speaks, registration is available at Eventbrite for $20. In the past we've sponsored the American Cancer Society , Autism Speaks , the Epilepsy Foundation , the Electronic Frontier Foundation , and the John Hunter Memorial Fund . For more information about Autism Speaks Canada, see http://www.autismspeaks.ca/. At Autism Speaks Canada, our mission is to change the future for all who struggle wi

We're bringing the 5K Charity Fun Run back! Last year we had 200 people join us to raise nearly $5,200, split between the American Cancer Society  and NumFOCUS , on behalf of the late John Hunter. This year's first beneficiary is the  Electronic Frontier Foundation , or EFF. John Perry Barlow, one of the EFF's co-founders, will be delivering a keynote during the conference! The run happens Saturday April 12 at 7 AM, beginning near the Montreal Science Center. The event is open to people of all abilities. We've had people come out for a morning stroll, people who train for ultra marathons, and several people have used the event as a way to get back in shape via the Couch to 5K program. The run is being sponsored by Lapio, who run the signups and time tracking for the event. Check out https://app.lap.io/event/2014-pycon-5k-charity-fun-run and get signed up today!

The second annual PyCon 5K Charity Fun Run will be happening Saturday March 17th, 2013 at 7:00 AM. Last year was a lot of fun with a lot of people coming out (148!), and we raised nearly $6,000 for three great charities: Autism Speaks , the American Cancer Society , and the Epilepsy Foundation . The 2013 Fun Run proceeds benefit two funds which hit close to home for the Python community. Matplotlib creator John Hunter passed away in August after a battle with colon cancer, leaving behind a wife and three young children. The John Hunter Memorial Fund and American Cancer Society will split the proceeds, with the memorial fund going toward the education of John’s daughters, and the cancer society collecting funds to fight all types of cancers. Note the name - “fun run”. It’s not really a race, it’s barely a competition. There’s no prize, there’s no finish line tape. The real winners are the memorial fund and cancer society. Sure, some people will wear fancy shoes and headbands, but i