There are 35 teams benefitting Tucker County entered in the annual Run For It race. Run For It is a 2k walk/5k race hosted by Tucker Community Foundation. It is held on the streets of Davis on Saturday, September 23, at 11 am during the Leaf Peepers Festival.
Race proceeds support nonprofit organizations, educational programs, civic groups, community projects,and charities. A record breaking seventy-nine teams overall will be competing for the $95,000 to benefit causes in Barbour, Grant, Mineral, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph, and Tucker counties, West Virginia, and Garrett County, Maryland.
The prize purse is seeded by generous race sponsors like the Tucker County Commission. Tucker County residents can support their favorite teams by entering the race on behalf of one and making team sponsor donations to as many as they wish. There are over two dozen Tucker County teams returning for another race and five new teams joining them.
Tucker County is known for its outdoor recreation, and teams are supporting a number of outdoor causes. New team, Canaan Valley State Park Foundation, with Cass Jones at the wheel, is seeking support to enhance and preserve the state park for the whole community. Friends of the Blackwater protects key landscapes and supports economic development. Julie Dzaack is back steering Heart of the Highlands in their pursuit of creating an outstanding trail system in Tucker County. The Riverfront Ramblers, with Doug Martin taking the helm, to support the continued improvements at the Davis Riverfront Park. Tucker Boulder Park is almost complete, and Chip Chase is guiding Team Boulder Park into another Run For It to raise funding for the third and final boulder. With all the people that have been out climbing the boulders since the park opened, the third boulder would truly round out the project.
To complement Tucker’s natural beauty, we have a vibrant arts community. Teams supporting the arts include Andy’s Run, led by Karen Evans, Glenda Easton & Fresh Canvas, Artspring with Erika May leading, and the WV Highlands Artisan Group with new captain, Lori Wall. Andy’s Run and Fresh Canvas’ proceeds will go to supporting art for students in Tucker County. Respectively they will grow the Andy W. Evans Art Fund and the Garrett Dutch Easton Fund. Artspring is seeking to stimulate economic development by featuring Tucker County’s rich and varied arts and artists. WV Highland Artisans Group has artists of many medias presenting their work and helping promote public awareness of the arts.
Five Rivers Library and Mountaintop Library, led by Dorothy Carr and Ivonne Martinez respectively, are both back in for another spirited race to support their libraries and the indispensable services they provide. Three teams are supportinghealth care. WV Caring, a new team, led by Nancy Dotson, is looking to boost their capacity to support hospice families. The Billie G. Armstrong team, led by Kathy Kotten, is back in the running to help pregnant women. Teresa Lycliter is back with the Cortland Challengers running to benefit the residents of Cortland Acres.
Last year rookie captain Kim Falls directed the Tucker County Animal Shelter through an impressive first race, collecting over $3,000 with 20 racers, and they are back for more in 2017. Cruisin’ Critters has been a steadfast Run For It team and once again is being headed by Karen Linton. Both teams are seeking support for their spay and neuter programs.
Veteran teams supporting education include DTEMS-PTO, Mountain Laurel Learning Cooperative, and EB3. The DTEMS-PTO has used Run For It to help fund their gym restoration project. With the help of Run For It funds, they were able to replace the gym floor and are now looking for funds to complete phase two by installing new bleachers. Mountain Laurel Learning Cooperative, led by Jocelyn Gaujot, is racing to aid their mission of inspiring children to become creative, life-long scholars and engaged, compassionate citizens. Captain Bink Boury and the EB3 racers and sponsors are growing the Ellis Boury III Fund which supports young writers in pursuing creative or technical writing with an emphasis on social responsibility, tolerance, and introspection.
Tucker County is lucky to have so many dedicated volunteers and personnel providing emergency services. Canaan Valley Ski Patrol and captain Ray LaMora are always graciously providing first responders on the course on race day and also field a team to help with their work of providing first aid for the Canaan Valley Ski Resort and Conference Center. Diane Beall and the CVVFD Auxiliary Power team once again are looking to grow the Taylor, Beall, & Snyder Fund in support of the Canaan Valley Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary. Anne Cecilia Smith, family, and friends love to vacation in their Deerfield home. Knowing how important emergency services are, Anne and the Deerfield 74 team show their gratitude to the area by dedicating their proceeds to the CVVFD. The Timberline Ski Patrol has endowed a fund, in memory of their fellow patroller, Randy Poole, to finance emergency medical training. Captain Steve Cvechko and the new Timberline Ski Patrol team are making tracks rallying racers and sponsors for the fund.
Michele Mullenax is bringing Tucker Runners into their initial race this year. The team will support the Tucker County High School cross country teams. Other youth causes are Tucker County Younglife and Team Hannah. Captain Chopper Evans seeks to raise funding to help teens attend Young Life programs. Jennifer Friend and Team Hannah are remembering Hannah Friend by sponsoring community children in church activities. The WV Mountain Ministries, headed by Brad Spencer, utilizes scenic Canaan Valley to find unique ways to share their outreach ministry. Last but far from least, Joel Hannah has signed up WV Gold Star Mothers for their second race. The Gold Star mothers honor the memories of fallen servicemen and women and assist veterans as well as currently deployed troops.
Three community-based organizations are working hard to revitalize and beautify their towns. Judy Cronauer is seeking support for the New Davis Renaissance Group to keep Davis beautiful. Emily Wilson-Hauger is always working hard to help Thomas and its residents and businesses to flourish. She is looking for racers and sponsors who want the charming town of Thomas to continue to thrive. Captain Bonnie Swyter is again leading the PRO ON TRAC team in their efforts to garner support for their projects in Parsons, including building renovations and events and activities, like Celebrate Parsons, for the community.
The West Virginia Council of Trout Unlimited is again led by the enthusiastic Mike Sayre. They seek to support the chapter and foster clean waters throughout the mountain state. Mandy Sullivan and the Highlands Trail Foundation team are looking for support for the creation of recreational and alternate transportation trail system. Their race proceeds will benefit Tucker and Randolph counties.
Pre-registration ends on Sept. 15, and team sponsor donations postmarked or made online by September 15 help teamsleverage additional support. Register or donate online at raceroster.com/11783 and see tuckerfoundation.net/run for a complete list of teams and causes. Racers can also enter onsite on Friday, Sept. 22 from 5-7 pm or Saturday, Sept. 23 from 8-9:30 am.
The Run For It program started in 2007 to provide additional money for the region; since then more than $1.1 million has been distributed for a wide array of causes benefitting a growing number of communities. The race starts and finishes at the Davis Fire Hall on W.Va. 32. Residents, visitors, and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and abilities and well behaved leashed dogs can enjoy early fall leaf peeping, food, music and festivities as they walk, stroll, run, or roll in a wheelchair or stroller for a good cause. For more information, call the Foundation office at 304-259-5008.
