On Saturday, March 19, the streets of Mount Joy will be full of people supporting Donegal athletes. The second annual Pride in the Tribe 5K Run/Walk will begin at Donegal High School, 1025 Koser Road, Mount Joy, with a 9 a.m. start time.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Donegal Athletic Club (DAC), a nonprofit established in 2009 to support sports and recreation programs in the district. The group held its first 5K in the fall of 2021. "We were looking for a fun event to get our student-athletes involved in," recalled Abby Hoover, board member of DAC. "We decided to try our second one in a different timeframe, between winter and spring sports, so we could get even more kids involved."
Funds raised will be used to support a variety of programs within the Donegal School District. "In the past, we donated to the campaign to build the new stadium," Hoover noted. "We've raised money to install windscreens for baseball. We've raised funds for new wrestling mats. We've also supported the softball team with new fields." The group works closely with Donegal athletic director Frank Hawkins to determine needs in the district and also supports the Donegal marching band.
"Our biggest fundraiser is a golf outing we hold around homecoming in October each year," Hoover said. "We're adding the 5K to our fundraisers just as a way to continue to bring in funds to support our students."
Hoover noted that the race offers benefits beyond fundraising. "This is a great way to give back to the community, but also to get out into the Donegal community as well," she stated. "You'll start at the high school, so you'll not only see that, but you'll go by the junior high and an elementary school during the race, and then you'll end up at the new stadium that was supported by DAC. It's a nice chance to see what we're doing in the community. And it's going to be a lot of fun."
Race participants who register by Wednesday, March 9, will receive a discounted entry fee as well as a T-shirt. Awards will be presented to overall male and female champions and to the top three male and top three female finishers in various age brackets. To register online, visit http://www.pretzelcitysports.com/online-registration. For more information, contact Hoover at abby.hoover26@gmail.com or visit https://donegal.2stayconnected.com.
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