Run for Fun event at Happy Valley schools

FLASH FINISH:
Happy Valley students previously participated in a Jog-a-thon at their school. This year, the Run for Fun event is open to the community.

The Happy Valley Parent/Teacher Association is holding a community-wide fundraising event featuring a five-kilometer run or walk, a quarter-mile run for elementary-aged kids, and a 50-yard-dash for preschool-age children.

The PTA, which has hosted student Jog-a-thons in past years, decided to open up the event to “anyone and everyone,” inviting both adults and kids, runners and walkers, living inside and outside of the Happy Valley Community to take part.

Organizers are hoping to establish the event as one people look forward to participating in every year.

“We’re hoping that if we run this right and people enjoy it, then it will become something that people anticipate and prepare for. They’ll get out and walk and build up their endurance and get excited and motivated,” said event organizer Sherry James.

Participants can choose to take part in the run/walk as an athletic event or a leisurely event. Serious runners, and other people who want to test their skills, can find out their official running times through a computerized timing system.

Happy Valley PTA members said children’s health is a concern for them, and said numerous studies show that even moderate physical activity improves health.

The event starts at the Clear Creek Community Baseball Field and finishes inside Happy Valley Elementary School. The PTA is taking advantage of paths built around the school from grant funds to use for the 5k Run/walk.

“It will be the first time those paths will be used for something like this,” James said. “We want to introduce the path to the community and the neighborhoods around it, and hopefully more people will use it.”

The event costs $20 for adults and $15 for children, and includes a T-shirt. Award ribbons will be given to the top five winners in 20 different age groups. Ribbons will also be presented to winners in the children’s’ events.