Des Peres Businessman Running 146 Miles for Charity

A Des Peres businessman and board member for the SouthSide Early Childhood Center in St. Louis is in the midst of a grueling mission — and a massive fundraiser for the childcare organization.

Tim Burke is one day day into an "ultramarathon" in Death Valley, a 146-mile run from the lowest point in the United States (Badwater) to the highest point in the lower 48 (Mt. Whitney). He expects to finish on Thursday.

The mammoth effort is designed to raise $140,000 for a new building at SouthSide. Burke, a principal in the insurance marketing division of Edward Jones in Des Peres, is maintaining a blog and a Twitter feed during the run. The blog is called "1 Inspired Idiot."

His blog said he expected to cover 42 miles on Monday. His team tweeted at about 2 p.m. on Monday: "Tim says 'Cheers to Mad Tom from Down Under as well as a shout out to all you supporters. Thanks!!' Tim has 33 miles down looking STRONG!"

You can track Burke's progress here. And you can donate online here. On his blog on Monday, Burke said he had raised $25,000 so far during the effort.

"Whether people are able to help by pledging a dollar a mile or 10 cents a mile – any amount will help make a difference," Burke said in a news release, explaining what inspired the run. “I was thinking a lot about the barriers the kids at SouthSide have to overcome. Really tough ones, like poverty and parents who are struggling just to make it each day."

SouthSide is based in St. Louis. Burke, a St. Louis resident, serves as secretary on the organization's board of directors. The organization, which was founded in 1886, describes its mission to "nurture, educate and inspire children and families with limited resources."

The agency serves 97 children and their families each year and will have room to grow to 140 in the new school building Burke is raising money for.