Annual Unity Run set for Tuesday, Sept. 26

Preparations are under way for the 24th annual Unity Run Campaign Kick-off event for United Way of Gordon County. The race is set for Tuesday, Sept. 26; the 1-K begins at 5 p.m. form Gordon Central and the 5-K race begins at 6:30 p.m., beginning at Gordon Central and finishing in beautiful Downtown Calhoun. The race is a fall tradition that grows each year, especially among the sponsorsthis is another record year for sponsor support of the event.

Each year, a new designer for the coveted race t-shirt is selected. This year, the United Way of Gordon County’s designer is Kayla Sanner. She was selected at last year’s Unity Run. Apache Mills put their first ever Unity Run team in the race and Sanner designed their team shirt. Everyone who saw the shirt loved it, so the choice was made to use Sanner for this year’s t-shirt designer.

Sanner has worked as a graphic designer at Apache Mills for four years. She is a proud alumna of Berry College and as a resident of Rome, where she still frequents the campus for hikes and trail runs. When not designing, Sanner enjoys hanging out at the local coffee shop and going hiking with her dog, Moses. Her Run, Run, Run design for this year’s Unity Run is original and one that will be a favorite.

This year, organizers have tried something new for sponsors. For many years, Unity Run officials have placed the sponsor signs at the Calhoun Depot so everyone would know who supports the event. This year, the decision was made to take the signs on the road to the sponsors with the exception of those who sponsor from out of town. On Sept. 1, all the signs were placed at the local sponsors’ locations. The appropriate sign ordinance variances were completed so all sponsors are in compliance with the ordinance. Anyone traveling through Gordon County you will be able to see which sponsors support the Unity Run and the annual fund raising campaigning for the 18 United Way agencies working in Gordon County. The signs will be removed on Sept. 25 and will be placed along the 5-K Route the day of the run for all the runners to see. Since the run started in 1994, Georgia Bank and Trust and Mohawk Industries have been sponsors each year. Many sponsors have been involved since their businesses began which was after 1994, and organizers appreciate all of the sponsors and their contribution to the community