A long-running community event is undergoing a change in ownership this year.
But while the benefiting cause may have changed, the giving heart of what was formerly known as the Curtis Klassen Memorial Run & Walk to Remember most certainly has not.
The Community Exchange has stepped up to carry on the annual 5K/10K run and walk, which has been operating for nearly two decades.
They’ve changed the name to the Stride Together Run & Walk for TCE and have introduced a new logo as well, but other than that, the event will look much the same as in past years, shares organizer Susie Fisher.
“On the outside, most things are going to look the same as they always have,” she said. “We’re meeting in the same place—Altona Centennial Park—on Saturday, May 9, and we’ve kept it the same weekend, the same start time as it’s always been.”
Participants will set out from the park that day at 9 a.m. There are categories for both adult and youth participants, with 5K and 10K routes through Altona.
After the run, participants and the community at large is invited back to the park to enjoy an awards ceremony, fun races and bouncy castles for the kids, and a barbecue lunch served up by Sun Valley Co-op (runners get lunch for free, for all others it’s by donation).
“We really want to make it a community event for everybody, not just the people who participated in the run itself,” Fisher said.
Race registration is $56.34 for adults and $34.69 for kids. You can register online at mraweb.ca/event/stride-together-run-walk-for-tce or contact Fisher at 1-204-216-1577 or susie@tcealtona.ca for more information. The deadline to sign-up is Friday, May 8, but if you want one of the limited free event T-shirts you’re encouraged to register sooner rather than later.
As race day nears, excitement is growing at TCE, Fisher said.
“We’re really honoured that the Curtis Klassen Memorial Fund thought of us and invited us to consider taking it over,” she said. “It’s a huge honour that they trust us with this event.”
Organizers at the memorial fund decided it was time to pass the torch, and TCE was eager to pick it up and run with it.
“As a fairly new non-profit organization, we’re constantly brainstorming ways that we can involve the community and rally people together,” said Fisher, noting events like this serve not only to raise funds for TCE’s programming but to also get the word out about the organization. “This seemed like a really good opportunity for us to spread the word about what TCE is, what we do, who we are in the community. A lot of people don’t even know we exist at this point. So we’re trying to raise that awareness.”
Funds generated by the event by way of runner registrations and corporate sponsorships will support TCE’s work in building a safer, healthier, and more connected community.
“We’ll see it going towards some of the things that we feel the race represents,” shared Fisher. “So things like our Community Connector program, which is our drop-in program. We’re open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. and we welcome folks from all walks of life into our space.
“It doesn’t matter what you are, where you live, where you come from, what challenges you’re facing, we just want you to come and have coffee with us,” she said. “That’s our mission here is to build bridges and connections between all the people in Altona.”
