University of Idaho students will have the opportunity to support the Moscow community and local children in Gritman Medical Center’s Family 5K Fun Run at 9 a.m. Oct. 1.
Local marathon runner Erika Baker said all proceeds from the event’s $10 registration fee will be donated to ING-Run for Something Better, a non-profit organization that provides grants to schools to set up running programs.
Baker said she is helping Gritman host the event because she loves the ING-Run for Something Better mission.
“It’s basically to keep kids active, and get them used to a healthy lifestyle and active choices early on,” Baker said. “And it just so happens that the (Moscow) junior high applied for – and received – one of those grants from ING this school year.”
Baker said ING provides grants for programs ranging from after-school running clubs, to in-school physical education classes, which is what Moscow Junior High received a grant for.
She said this is the first year – of hopefully many – Gritman is hosting the event.
Justin Minden, the director of therapy and wellness at Gritman, said the hospital’s main reason for hosting the run is to uphold one of its staple missions.
“We also do another run called the Red Dress Run, for heart disease, in February,” Minden said. “One of the big missions of our hospital is promoting wellness in our community, and this is just another opportunity to promote wellness – not just with the general population, but families too.”
Minden said the fun run gave Gritman the opportunity to do another event at another time of the year.
The 3.1 mile run will begin at the Martin Wellness Center on 510 Palouse River Dr., loop through the UI Arboretum, down through campus, crossing by the Lionel Hampton School of Music and up Main Street to finish back at the wellness center.
There will also be a 1-mile turn around in the Arboretum parking lot for those participants who don’t want to run or walk the whole way, and those with families, Minden said.
Participants can pick up registration forms at Gritman Therapy Solutions on 810 Main St. Late registration and packet pick-up will be from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 30. The last chance to register will be the morning of the event from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Those 5 years -old and under are able to participate free of charge.
Minden said a 5K is a good length, in which both serious and recreational runners can participate.
He said great opportunities arise when a whole community is involved in promoting something as crucial as wellness.
“We’re a small enough community that, I think it’s great that we can get all entities involved whenever possible,” Minden said. “And for (UI) students, I think it’s a great opportunity for them to get out and participate in an organized event – especially those that may not be serious enough to go out and do a half marathon.”
Minden said these small local events are a great way for people to get started.
Baker said even if somebody doesn’t want to participate in the run, they can go support the runners throughout the course.
“It makes such a huge difference when you’re running and you don’t want to be running, and you’ve got someone cheering you on,” Baker said. “I think it’s important for kids to get that encouragement and that feeling of accomplishment early on. We would love anyone to come out and walk it, run it – whatever they want to do.”