Runners pursue human rights

Two Brigham Young University students will run through Carson City today on their way to Washington D.C., to raise awareness about human rights.

Billy Jackson and Tyler DeWaal set off from San Francisco on April 26 and have been running about 25 miles a day in shifts.

The pair are participating in the Trans-America Run for Dignity and Human Rights for the human rights group, Relief America.

The original route took them through Bear Valley and then over Monitor Pass toward Yerington. In fact, they hadn't even planned to run through Carson City

But DeWaal said they were advised by a relative to just come straight over the mountains from Jackson.

When they ran into Saturday's Sierra storm just east of Ham Station, Calif., the runners had to take to their vehicle and drove over the mountains, where they took refuge with Gardnerville residents Larry and Cheryl Mallory over the weekend. They started running again Monday morning from the Nevada border north on Highway 88 to Minden.

They are planning to stay in South Carson City and then start again up Highway 395 this mornin,g then out Highway 50.

"We're not athletes, that's for sure," said 23-year-old Jackson. "We ran into a blizzard a couple of days ago."

The pair are keeping a daily log on the Alliance's Web site www.reliefalliance.org.

They expect to arrive in Washington D.C., on Aug. 9.

Money raised from the run goes to Tibetan refugee education, construction of an elementary school in Ethiopia and funding a program to combat sexual exploitation of children.