Annual Reindeer Run is ready for runners
SOUDERTON » It’s antler time again.
This is the seventh year for Generations of Indian Valley’s Reindeer Run, a 5K run and 1-mile fun walk on the streets of Souderton that this year takes off at 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2.
“People really seem to each year get a little bit more enthusiastic about wearing their antlers,” said Amy Stover, Generations’ program director.
“Some people wear ugly sweaters or Christmas paraphernalia,” she said. “It’s fun.”
The run, which is followed by a breakfast inside Generations on Second Street, kicks off a day of holiday celebration, including Souderton’s annual holiday parade at 11 a.m. and the borough’s tree lighting activities 6 to 8 p.m.
“We get a lot of family participation,” said Lisa Furbacher, Generations’ assistant director. Many make a day of the holiday events in the borough, she said.
Runners seem to like that the run is challenging, but also in town, Stover said.
“One of the things that I think we love is that it feels like the whole town is here that morning,” she said.
That includes the runners and volunteers, along with police, fire police and ambulance, she said.
“It just gets to feel like one big happy family,” Stover said, “and I think we want to stress to people that that’s a lot like what happens here day-to-day. It’s a community of people. They just want to come and be together and socialize.”
The run, which benefits Generations programs and Meals on Wheels, raised more than $9,000 last year, according to Generations information.
“Last year, we had 318 finishers, so we’re hoping for that again this year, or close to it,” Furbacher said.
Ainsley’s Angels will again have runners and riders in the Reindeer Run, she said. Ashley’s Angels allows children with disabilities who cannot run on their own to be included in the run by having Angel Runners push the Angel Athlete-Riders though the course in wheelchairs.
In-person registration on Dec. 2 begins at 7:15 a.m.
“Pre-registration is always easiest,” Stover said.
Online pre-registration can be done at Generationsofiv.org or Pretzelcitysports.com.
Registering runners receive reindeer antlers, breakfast and a longsleeved T-shirt.
“We’re real excited about the T-shirts this year because they focus on the sort of small town aspect of the race and some of the challenging hills,” Stover said.
Ayers Promotions, of Colmar, helped design the Tshirts, she said.
“We had a concept and they really brought it to life,” she said.
Volunteers sought
Generations currently has openings for volunteers, Furbacher and Stover said.
“We’re looking for some people to help in our kitchen,” Stover said.
“We can always use help for Meals on Wheels as well,” Furbacher said.
The Meals on Wheels volunteer openings are for delivery drivers, she said.
“We feed approximately 200 clients per day. They get a cold meal and a hot meal Monday through Friday,” Furbacher said of the Meals on Wheels deliveries from Generations.
About another 80 people per day come to Generations for lunch, Stover said.
The suggested donation for the Generations lunches is $2, Furbacher said.