Former Steeler Franco Harris Leads 5K Walk To Raise Scholarship Funds

NORTH SIDE (KDKA) -- Despite the wintery temperatures and snow, members of the community joined former Steelers running back Franco Harris for a 5K walk to raise funds for Pittsburgh scholarships Saturday morning.

The "Walk for One Promise" was organized by the Pittsburgh Promise, an organization that provides college scholarships to local teens. The goal of the walk was to raise funds for scholarships and to raise awareness in general about educational inequality.

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The Oxford Development real estate firm issued a challenge, pledging to match the amount of money raised if participants were able to raise $10,000 through donations.

In a release, Oxford Development board chair Anne Lewis said, "Equality of opportunity is one of those core values that all Americans share and one that the Pittsburgh Promise helps realize in the lives of our young people. Oxford was proud to issue a matching challenge to the supporters of 'Walk for One Promise' and we're delighted by the response we've seen to date."

Participants collected more than double the $10,000 goal for the event through grassroots donations.

Harris, the board chair for the Pittsburgh Promise, said he was excited to be supporting the cause with an enthusiastic crowd, even in less-than-ideal weather conditions.

"Of all days, there's some challenges out here today, but when you do things for a good cause, you fight through those challenges," he said.

The organization posted on their Facebook page Saturday morning to say that almost $60,000 had been raised.