I donated $20 bucks, and hope they can raise it all;

(07-17) 17:22 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- A group of young Bay Area athletes have accomplished the hard part - qualifying for the National Junior Olympics Track and Field Meet - but now find that they may not be able to make the trip next week to the meet in Omaha, Nebraska. The 12 participants are members of the City Track Club, a non-profit group that works with inner city youth.

The team has experienced great success over the years in placing participants in the prestigious Junior Olympics, but the higher cost of airline tickets has left this season's qualifiers some $8,000 short.

Founded in 1996, the club has worked with both at-risk students and potential track and field stars. This fall two of its former members will compete at Yale and USC respectively, just two of several City Track athletes who have gone on to compete in college. Even reaching the Junior Olympics is a major accomplishment. The 12 who qualified had to finish in the top three in their event at the USATF Meet for Northern California.

However, with the National Junior Olympics beginning on July 22, time is running out. Donation to help the team get to Omaha can be sent to City Track, Tide Center, 24 Keystone Way, San Francisco, 94127-2718

E-mail C.W. Nevius at cwnevius@sfchronicle.com