Leah Roberts is Running the Trails for Hospice of Wichita Falls

Leah Roberts came to the United States from Great Britain on a tennis scholarship, but an injury sidelined her career at Texas Tech.
 The tennis coach at Tech is an MSU alum and he advised her to transfer here and she went on to pick up her racket again.
 She will soon travel back to the United Kingdom and once she gets there she will embark on a fundraising trek for Hopsice of Wichita Falls.
 Leah Roberts is this month's Spirit of Texoma Award winner.

 Leah says, "I grew  up playing tennis my whole life and we don't really have university tennis at home we don't have anything and you have to make a choice between do you want to go to college or do you want to professional so I knew that I wanted to go to college so coming to the US was the best option for me."

 During a Death and Dying Sociology class at MSU this recent graduate found out about the Hopsice mission on a field trip to Hospice of Wichita Falls.

 Roberts: "I knew that being there, there was something special about the people that worked there. I had never seen so many people who worked in the same place, who were all working for such a good cause and believed passionately in what they did.  This is more than a job to the nursing staff, medical staff, administrative staff.  They believe in what they do and that is what made me want to volunteer and give back the way they do."

 So soon Leah was behind the wheel of a cart as a volunteer at the Friends of Hospice Golf Tournament.

 Roberts: "I knew I wouldn't be able to give as much of my time there at the Hospice as I wanted and I didn't want to start some work and not be able to finish it and so that is when I decided to run the half marathon instead."

 So in order to raise money for Hospice and to fullfill a promise to her twin sister, in late June the twins will run the trails of the Snowdonia National Park in Wales.

 Roberts: "If me running this race gets people talking about Hospice of Wichita Falls, gets people to make a few donations, to learn more about Hospice then that is wonderful and that is the most important thing."

 At Hospice you'll find two running shoes where folks can drop off donations and Leah knows the money she raises half way around the World will truly pay off for folks at Hospice.

 Roberts: "Just take a trip out there.  There are a lot of people in the community who know about Hospice, talk to them and everybody has such good things to say about the work they do.  Find out a little bit more about it.  If you can volunteer some of your time."

 Time Leah says will be well spent for yourself and Hospice.
 She proves you can spread the Spirit of Texoma no matter where your path leads you.
 If you would like to help Leah raise money you can drop donations at Hospice on Johnson Road.
 You can also track Leah's fundraising progress at http://www.facebook.com/RunningTheTrailForHospiceOfWichitaFalls
 If you are interested in getting involved with Hospice of Wichita Falls go to http://www.hospiceofwf.org/
 
 Leah will soon marry and move to Lubbock where she says she plans to get involved with Hospice care.
 While Leah was here in Texoma she also worked the Boys and Girls Club, sharing her love of tennis with the kids.

 Owens and Brumley Funeral Homes congratulate Leah on her honor.
 If you know someone who has the Spirit nominate them now.