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Our Spirit Sprint 5k is featured in This Week News
Spirit Sprint 5k Race to Benefit Safe Routes to School Programs
By: David S. Owen, This Week News
The Safe Routes to School programs in Gahanna and Reynoldsburg will benefit from an inaugural Spirit Sprint 5K run/walk hosted by The Cardinal Orthopedic Institute on April 11.
One district, however, will benefit more, depending on which community has the most registered participants.
Stephanie Rauschenbach, marketing director for the Cardinal Orthopedic Institute, said the school district with the most registered participants will earn 75 percent of the proceeds from the event and will be presented with a trophy. The runner-up will receive 25 percent of the event proceeds.
All proceeds will go to the districts' Safe Routes to School programs.
Rauschenbach said when the idea for the run/walk came up, she approached both Gahanna and Reynoldsburg school officials.
"When we originally had the idea, I reached out to community outreach coordinator for Reynoldsburg schools, Tricia Moore, and she latched on to it," Rauschenbach said. "Tricia actually suggested the Safe Routes to School tie-in because both school systems are developing programs.
"So we turned it into a competition with a little bit of a rivalry between Gahanna and Reynoldsburg schools."
The goal of the Safe Routes to School program is to improve safety, encourage more children to walk and bike to school, to improve students' overall physical health and reduce traffic congestion.
"The 5K run is a wonderful idea," said Monica DeBrock, a member of Sustainable Reynoldsburg and a coordinator of Reynoldsburg's Safe Routes to School program. "It's a win-win because it's promoting healthy lifestyles and, hopefully, we'll get some families out and an opportunity to get information out about Safe Routes to School."
Rauschenbach said the 5K run will begin at 9 a.m. on Sunday, April 11, in the parking lot of the Cardinal Orthopedic Institute, 170 Taylor Station Road near the Mount Carmel Medical Park.
Runners and walkers will travel west on Westbourne Avenue, turning around at the halfway point to head back to the institute's parking lot.
Rauschenbach said Gahanna and Columbus police officers will have one lane of Westbourne Avenue blocked off for the race.
The event will be a family-friendly one, featuring inflatables for kids, music and refreshments, she said.
The registration fee is $20 per person through April 1, $25 per person thereafter until race day on Sunday, April 11.
Registrations will be accepted that day beginning at 8 a.m.
All registrants will receive a T-shirt and refreshments. The top five male and female finishers will receive a certificate or plaque.
For registration details, go to the Web sites www.cardinalortho.com or www.premierraces.com or call (614) 545-7914 for more information or to contribute as a sponsor for the event.
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