Many of the churches of Lampeter-Strasburg (L-S) School District have combined forces to host two special events in previous years. Now, they have further collaborated to make Strasburg Day and CommUNITY 5K one great affair.
"We've combined two events, and that's very cool," said Bob Bronkema, pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Strasburg.
Willow Street Mennonite Church member Karen Bender, who has helped to organize the 5K race, noted that both events fell on the same day last year. The race was held at Lampeter Church of the Brethren (LCB), and Strasburg Day took place at the Strasburg Jaycee Park. Many people who participated in the 5K also planned to attend the Strasburg event. "During that day, the conversation started," Bender said. "It just made a whole lot of sense."
The CommUNITY 5K was launched six years ago to raise money for the L-S Homes of Hope program. LCB has hosted the race for the past five years, and while the committee is sad to leave the 5K's first home, it is excited to offer race participants a different course with new challenges.
The sixth annual CommUNITY 5K and third annual Strasburg Day will be held on Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Strasburg Jaycee Park, 218B Miller St., Strasburg. Registration for the 5K will be open from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., and the race will start at 9 a.m. The course will primarily follow paved roads throughout the park and the borough and will be stroller-friendly.
A cost has been set to participate in the 5K, with discounts for multiple people and for registering by Tuesday, Oct. 1. Registrations received after Oct. 1 will not be guaranteed an event T-shirt. The proceeds from the 5K will be used to fund the continued operation of the house that opened since last year's race. Homes of Hope provides transitional housing for families at risk of homelessness.
"We have a house, and we put our first family through," Bender said. "We spent the first five years of the 5K preparing for this."
Bender noted that the initial family has moved on to permanent housing and the organization is now seeking a second family.
Refreshments and door prizes will be distributed after the race. The top male and female runners will receive gift cards, and the first finisher in every age group will be given a commemorative beverage glass.
Race participants and spectators will be encouraged to stick around for Strasburg Day, which will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature children's games, a bounce house, face painting, and a cornhole tournament. Piercing Word will give several performances of Scripture, with the first at 11:15 a.m. A chicken barbecue meal will be served at 11:30 a.m. and continue as supplies last. The organizers are planning for at least 450 people. Everything will be free of charge, and door prizes will be awarded.
"The churches (of the Strasburg Ministerium) are able to bless the families and folks of the Strasburg community," said Strasburg Mennonite Church pastor John Meck.
"(Working together to host Strasburg Day) is a tangible sign of Jesus' prayer in John 17 that we would be one," Bronkema added.
The Strasburg Day organizers hope that area residents come out and get to know their neighbors. Partnering with the CommUNITY 5K is one way to foster positive relationships.
"We're really excited about the partnership, and we expect it to grow over the years," Bronkema remarked.
To register for the race or to sponsor the event, readers may visit http://www.community5k.com. Registration forms are available at Strasburg-Heisler Library, 143 Precision Ave., Strasburg, and Willow Street Mennonite Church, 399 E. Penn Grant Road, Willow Street.
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