Participants needed for ‘Laps for Literacy’

The Valley Adult Learning Association is holding its first-ever “Laps for Literacy” five-km race this Saturday to raise both funds for—and awareness of—the local non-profit organization.
But so far, it looks like not too many runners will be participating.
“We’ve really had only one person call us and tell us they’re interested,” VALA literacy instructor Kim Redford said Thursday morning. “We’ve had a lot of people making muffins, so we’ll have a lot of those!
“But we’ve been really surprised. We’ve advertised, there was a story in the paper, we’ve been handing out flyers,” she added. “We’re hoping people show up for registration the day of the event.”
Redford noted her co-worker, Barb Duguay, attended a similar run elsewhere and she said at that event, a crowd of participants show up without warning at the last minute.
The inaugural “Laps for Literacy” is open to all runners. Registration is slated to start at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday at VanJura Stadium at Pither’s Point, with the race getting underway at 9:30.
The race will cover a five-km course through town. It will start at the VanJura Stadium warning track and proceed to Calder Drive, then left onto Lake Road and up to Highway 11.
Runners then will turn left and proceed over the overpass and onto the La Verendrye Parkway. Once they reach the Sorting Gap Marina, they’ll turn around and follow the riverfront back to the finish line just before the railroad tracks at Pither’s Point.
Being a race, runners will vie for gold, silver, and bronze medals, as well as be entered in draws for prizes donated by several local businesses, said Redford.
And tying in with the promotion of literacy, volunteers will be stationed at various points along the course to hand out letters of the alphabet. Participants can take these letters, spell out words, and enter them in a contest to win a prize.
Those who prefer to walk the route also are welcome to participate. While they won’t win the race, they will be eligible for draw prizes and the word-building contest.
All participants also will be provided with a beverage and muffins donated by volunteers. There also will be water stations along the course.
The fundraising aspect of the race comes in the form of a $20 entry fee for each participant. But VALA, being a non-profit organization, will be giving out tax receipts for those paying it.
Redford noted anyone else who wants to financially support the cause, but perhaps isn’t able to participate in the run/walk, is welcome to make a donation.
VALA, which offers a workplace mentoring program, as well as adult math, computer, and literacy training, is facing increased rent costs, coupled with a need for new learning supplies and upgraded computers.
Its clients (or “learners”) also will volunteer at Saturday’s race to put a face to the local literacy program.
The rain date is Sunday, Oct. 3.
To register for the race, or to make a donation, call Redford or Duguay at 274-3553.