Variety Club hosts second annualRun, Walk and Spring Fling
Last spring, many runners found that sprinting onward in the woods of Worcester offered certain benefits over barreling along through a typical asphalt jungle.
The premier Variety Club Camp & Development Center AWARE Trail Run, Walk & Spring Fling Party attracted 250 runners and walkers and raised $15,000.
Mary Fuller, special events and marketing specialist for Variety — the Children’s Charity in Worcester — is anticipating that the sequel on April 29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., could well top that triumph.
“We had a fantastic day and we raised a good bit of money, particularly for a first year, so that’s why we’re excited to see what we can do this year,” she said. “Runners really enjoyed the four-mile course last year and I think we’ll see a lot of return runners because it was a challenging course and many will want to see if they can improve. It’s not all paved and flat. They told me it was not an easy course, and theymeant that in a positive way; they liked the challenge of it. And it’s a pretty run,” Fuller added.
Partnering with a professional outfit, Bryn Mawr Running Company, which has added chip timing this year, Variety is appealing to both avid runners and walkers to raise money for its camp programs for kids with special needs.
In particular, the money will be used to improve Variety’s expanding vocational training, Fuller said.
“The age limit for our vocational programused to be 21, now it’s 25 because we realize that a lot of the kids we serve do need some type of assistance beyond age 21 and vocational training is an area where we can see how that works. We teach job skills and help kids build their self- confidence and establish some independence, and they also learn the social aspect, how to interact with co-workers and the public.”
The AWARE event hikes up the typical run and walk with a festival-like vibe that includes food, beer, soft drinks, live music by You, Me & Reenie; raffle prizes; face painting for kids; dunk tank and resource tables.
“Years ago they used to do an autism walk at Plymouth Meeting Mall and some of our families would have teams,” Fuller explained. “For some reason the organization got away from that, but I have had quite a few families still asking about it, so this is a nice way to update an event that Variety used to do.”
The acronym AWARE was designed to highlight many of the programs and amenities Variety offers: A (Activities serving all special needs children); W (Weekend retreats and community events); A (After school clubs and Saturday programs; R (Recreational day and overnight camps); E (Educational and vocational opportunities).
“Those who attend the run/walk and Spring Fling Party are in for a real treat as they can see firsthand what a gem Variety’s 80-acre facility is,” noted Fuller, who explained that the event does not exclude the kids with disabilities served by Variety, thanks to the Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter of Ainsley’s Angels of America.
The group strives to include participants of various abilities in athletic events, with each rider being supported by “angel” athletes who push or pull the rider along in a specially made “chariot.”
Five years ago, Ainsley Renee Rossiter inspired the formation of Ainsley’s Angels of America by her father. Just before her fourth birthday, Ainsley, who loved to be involved with running, was diagnosed with Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy, a rare terminal illness that, sadly, took her life in February 2016.
The event’s sponsors include Prism Brewing Company, providers of the beer; Jim and Karen Mossop of Possom’s Place; Aim High Studio and GiordanoMeats, which is donating the hamburgers and hot dogs.
Manning the grills will be volunteers from Oreland Fire Company, who will be accompanied again this year by the firehouse’s mascot Sparky.
The course is open to runners and walkers (walkers can do one to four miles). Prizes will be awarded to the top runners overall and by age. All registered runners and walkers will receive a T-shirt (tech shirts guaranteed to those who registered by April 15), swag bag and wrist band to attend the Spring Fling party.
To register visit varietyphila.org/trail-runspring-fling.
Variety Club Camp & Development Center is located at 2950 Potshop Road, Worcester.