Allyson Putt used her 10k training to earn more than an eighth place finish at the Pink Arrow race in Lowell, as her 43:42 finish time was also enough to raise $750 for the SowHope Organization. Putt used this act of service to contribute to the “125,000 Acts of Aquinas” program, which will be officially kicking off on November 1, 2011.

“I was already helping myself, so why not help others,” Putt said. “I’ve been volunteering [at SowHope] for almost a year now and have never been so inspired or wanted to contribute more to an organization.”

SowHope is a Michigan-based organization which began in 2006 and targets the 1.5 billion women around the world who make less than $2 a day. Since its inception, SowHope has helped over 20,000 women in nine countries by providing them with basic health, education, and economic opportunities. Recently, they pledged to donate $75,000 to a microloan organization in Bangladesh, which will be paid in $25,000 installments over the next three years.

“Women are the foundations of community and we will only be able to effectively combat poverty if we help women,” Putt said.

Putt is currently in her final semester at Aquinas, and will graduate in December 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and French, and a minor in Spanish. She is also a member of the Insignis Honor Society, Phi Alpha Theta History Honors Society, and the President of the History Club.

“Aquinas has been the foundation for my next step in life,” Putt said. “There are always opportunities to serve and Aquinas certainly provides them.”

Whether or not you receive one of the signature coins for the “125,000 Acts of Aquinas” program, Putt encourages other students and alumni to take part in the worldwide service project.

“The statement Aquinas makes with this program is a very good message, but I think it’s also important to remember that the need for these acts doesn’t go away after you’ve contributed to the 125,000 total,” Putt said. “This should be a motivation for us to continue this work every day.”

>More information on the 125,000 Acts of Aquinas