More than 300 take part in America 250 Run 4 Unity
A beautiful Saturday morning helped lead to a better-than-expected turnout for the America 250 Run 4 Unity 5K at Twin Hills Park in Crestview.
More than 300 participants lined up to take part in the annual event to support the Crestview Area Homeless Shelter.
Melissa Carter, special events coordinator with the city of Crestview, said the annual event began in 2019, when Mayor JB Whitten entered office, to give back to the community.
“His heart is with the homeless and trying to help the community, or anyone in the community, really,” she said. “He found a need and the Crestview Area Homeless Shelter needed food products to feed the hungry. He thought, ‘What better way to create a run (to fill that need).”
Whitten, who was also on hand for the event, said he believes the only year that the event was not held was during COVID-19.
Almost 200 participants preregistered for the event through the city of Crestview’s website, and Carter estimated that another 100 people registered on Saturday.
Carter said that number of participants, including many families who took part, far exceeded expectations for the event.
“Every year this event has grown, and we’re just so happy to see it be this successful.”
There was no entry fee to take part in the event. The only “entry fee” was for participants to bring at least $10 worth of canned food, which was loaded into a trailer provided by the Crestview Police Department and would later be delivered to the shelter.
The food will then be used in various ways, including food boxes that are distributed on Mondays, sack lunches and other services for the shelter. The food will also be used for the 10 to 22 in-house clients who stay at the shelter overnight, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided.
Shelter Director Angela Jones was on hand for the event and said that it helps the shelter financially as well, “because we are feeding so many.”
She added that they always take donations. “We always need bottled water and things for sack lunches and other food items.”
Jones was also appreciative of the turnout by the community for the event. “We just appreciate everybody that showed up (Saturday) to bring us the food to help feed the needy.”
Whitten, along with flag bearer Carol Moody and Tom Moody, who was playing the part of Paul Revere, from Old Warrior Ranch helped “lead the charge” of participants.
The mayor said the event was expanded this year to include Okaloosa County to help with its celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. “We partnered (with the county) to make it a county-wide event rather than just a city-wide event.”
Former Okaloosa County Commissioner Graham W. Fountain is also part of the county America 250 Commission and was happy to see the turnout for the event on a beautiful day. “I don’t think we could have asked for a nicer day for people to get out and run,” he said.
He was also appreciative to see so many young people and families at the event. “that is one of our top priorities for America 250 is to get the youth involved.”
The next event that is part of the America 250 celebration is the America 250 Veterans and Patriots Grand Parade in downtown Crestview on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 11 a.m.
The parade was originally the Okaloosa County America 250 Commission Grand Parade, which was previously postponed.
Flex Fitness provided prize baskets for each of the first- through third-place division winners for boys, girls, men and women.
Winners of each category will officially be announced later through the city of Crestview.
