T.K. Martin to hold fun run fundraiser Friday

The T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability will hold its largest annual fundraiser Friday.

For the eighth year running, the center will present its Trick or Trot Fun Run on the Mississippi State University campus. Sign up for the event will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1 in front of the T.K. Martin Center. The run itself will begin at 6 p.m. Registration fees are $25 per individual, and $40 for immediate family groups of two or more. Advance registration is available online. The center hopes to raise $30,000 from the run.

T.K. Martin Center Director Kasee Stratton spoke to the importance of the fundraiser. She said last year, the center was able to raise approximately $25,000 to support its programs.

“Our project IMPACT is a special needs preschool, and we have approximately 45 students in that program,” Stratton said. “The funding we receive doesn't quite cover what we need for our teacher assistants, so this is a really important revenue generator to help cover our teacher assistants in that program.”

Stratton said the center was on a good path toward meeting the goal so far, looking at online registration numbers.

“We hope to make it as fun for everybody as it is, also generating revenue for our program,” Stratton said.

The run will be held on a mile-long course, and participants will have the option of running up to three laps. Several cheer stations from MSU campus organizations will be set up along the route, with some even handing out candy and prizes.

“It's really like a run, walk, trot, roll,” Stratton said. “However you want to make your way through it, you can do it. It's not a 5K or anything like that.”

Cadence Bank is the event's primary sponsor, and food will be provided by Jimmy John's and Chick-fil-a. T.K. Martin Center T-shirts will also be available for sale. Costumes are encouraged, but nothing too scary.

“There will be a lot of action going on at the same time we're waiting for registration,” Stratton said.

Registration is available by calling the center at 662-325-1028 or visiting www. signupgenius.com with the keywords for the fun run.

“Every year they add more,” Stratton said. “It gets more elaborate. More events are happening at the same time. This year we've had this great addition of Cadence Bank to help sponsor this event. I know athletics is really involved in participating, and will likely be a part of our cheer stations that evening."

She also thanked T.K. Martin Center parents and other volunteers from the center, who helped put the event on, as well as Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program students and the T.K. Martin Center Ambassadors.

"Many of our families don't get the chance to all be here together, so it's kind of a fun family event," Stratton said.