Somerton stages athletic race to benefit church
SOMERTON — Being fleet of foot is proving to be helpful for some worthy causes in this city.
The first-ever Pope Francis Athletic Race will be staged here Oct. 13 as a fundraiser to benefit the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Somerton.
The Saturday race is divided up into 5-kilometer and 1-mile competitions, and runners from not only Somerton but around Yuma County are invited to sign up.
“The goal is to raise funds for the parish,” said Carlos Gonzalez, a Somerton city councilman and one of the organizers of the race. “There are a lot of maintenance and repair needs, like painting and repairing benches, repairs in the (church) patios and even (need) for funds to help people in need who come to the parish.
Gonzalez, himself a running enthusiast, said the goal is to have the race each year to help the church. It would be the second of two fundraising races that take place in Somerton, the first being an annual race organized by the Somerton Runners Club to bring in money to buy new shoes for children of low-income families.
The new race will be without age and other categories, with first-, secondand third-place trophies given out to the top male and female runners. Those who opt to run in the 1 mile race will all receive certificates of participation.
The Pope Francis Athletic Race will begin and end at the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, 310 W. Spring St., with the 5-kilometer run getting started at 8 a.m. and the 1-mile run under way at 8:15 a.m.
Gonzalez said the new race will have the secondary purpose of promoting public use of andadors, the asphalt paths established by the city around Somerton for use by walkers and joggers. Segments of the andadors are incorporated into the routes for both of the runs.
The 5-kilometer run will proceed west from the church along Spring Street to Cesar Chavez Avenue, where runners will proceed south along the newly built andador that parallels that road. Runners will follow the andador to Main Street, turning right to the Main Canal then will turn right, following the canal to County 15th Street. They will turn right and return to Cesar Chavez Avenue, then turn south, arriving at Spring Street, where they will turn east and return to church.
The one-mile run will leave from the church going west on Spring Street to Cesar Chavez, proceed along the andador to the Perricone Park and then return along Spring to the church.
“We are hoping for a good turnout of runners,” Gonzalez said. “Anyone who wants to help out and who likes to run can participate. They don’t have to be professional runners.”
Cost to enter is $20 per person for the 5-K run and $1 for the 1-mile run.
Runners can register at the church office or at the registration table that will be set up after church masses. For more information call (928) 920-4415 or (928) 627-6918.