When it came to raising funds this year for Brittany's Hope, executive director Mai-Lynn Abel Sahd and her team got creative.

"We usually do a big 5K fundraiser in the fall, but we had to scale that down this year," Sahd said. "So, we came up with this idea of the 5K Mother's Day Challenge."

The "race your way" event will run from Saturday, May 8, through Saturday, May 15.

"It's a way for people to participate in an easy, safe manner," Sahd noted. "You just go to our website and choose how you want to participate." There are multiple options for the fundraiser, which raises money for orphaned and at-risk children through adoption grants and humanitarian initiatives. Participants may pick the distance of their choice and complete the miles anywhere and any way they choose, from walking to running, biking, inline skating and more.

Participants may also choose to celebrate Mother's Day through the event, Sahd said. "The beautiful piece of this is you have the option to honor or dedicate your race to a mother figure - any woman you respect - and we will write a Mother's Day card and send it out on your behalf," she explained. "It's a nice Mother's Day gift to your mom or any influential woman in your life."

Sahd said although this is the first time Brittany's Hope is doing a 5K this way, she has set lofty goals. "We would be absolutely thrilled to get over 400 participants to accept the challenge, establish 40 teams and together raise $30,000 for Brittany's Hope," she stated. "In challenging times like these, the work of high-impact charities like ours is critically needed. We are their only lifeline." She added that 100% of the funds raised go directly to caring for vulnerable and orphaned children.

This year's race has a special significance for Sahd. Her 5-year-old son, Peter, will be participating.

"He told me, 'I want to race to help boys and girls who need mommies, daddies and toys,'" Sahd said, adding that Peter even picked out a unique team name - Team Dino-mite - to reflect his love of dinosaurs.

While Peter will be racing in honor of his grandmother, Sahd encourages anyone with a desire to give back and also honor women to participate in the event. "We can't all get together as a community like we have in the past, but we can still bring people together in a different way, united for one cause," she stated.

For more information on the Brittany's Hope 5K Mother's Day Challenge, visit http://www.brittanyshope5K.org.