Running to Plant Hope

Story

Drs. Kristen Zainer and Phil Burns will be running the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon on October 1, 2023. As a means to encourage them in their efforts, they hope to raise $10,000 for Planting Hope, a charity created in the memory of fellow veterinarian, Dr. Mike Kleban. Dr. Kleban was a compassionate soul, father, friend, and veterinarian, who like an alarming number of other veterinarians, unfortunately died by suicide. He had been a board member of MaaViva, where he championed projects that supported conservation and humanity across Africa. Since its inception, Planting Hope has planted thousands of trees across Africa, building connections and spurring educational conservation awareness in children and their communities. These trees replace those lost to indiscriminate harvesting which has ravaged villages and left villagers with extremely little to sustain themselves. Besides helping these villagers, trees are one of the greatest gifts we can offer our planet. Phil and Kristen believe that by supporting Planting Hope, they can bring awareness to the struggles in their own profession as well as those of the greater world. They believe in planting seeds of hope in trees and in the hearts and minds of children through education for a better tomorrow.