ELKINS Nine Randolph County teams participated in the recent 2016 Tucker Community Foundation “Run for It” and brought home to local nonprofit organizations and libraries $23,387.75 in total team awards.
The Rowdy Readers, representing the Russell Memorial Public Library in Mill Creek, ran away with the Citizens Bank Award for the “Best of Randolph” and a total of $9,672.75, the highest dollar amount in proceeds and the highest dollar amount in team sponsorships, $7,137.75, of the county total of $11,212.75.
Diane Hinkle, Tucker Community Foundation development director, said the “Run for It” is more than a one-day event featuring a 5K run and 2K walk. The following year’s event begins the very day after the race.
“Many of the teams begin their fundraising and sponsorship drives as soon as the event is over,” she explained.
“The teams that work the hardest and raise the most sponsorships, win the most.”
When those sponsorship dollars are leveraged, the team can go home with substantial awards.
“Since its inception, the Foundation has been here to be a conduit for smaller nonprofits,” she continued.
“The team can filter funds raised in sponsorships through the Foundation. After time, the money adds up.”
The money raised through “Run for It” goes into the library’s general fund to be used for operating since the library is not receiving funds from the Randolph County Board of Education any longer.
“We lost $10,000 in levy money,” she said. “‘Run for It’ makes up for that loss.”
Mallow noted that even though the Rowdy Readers brought home the largest amount of Race Day awards ($2,500), they are a small group of race participants.
“We could only muster six team members this year,” she said. We hope our representation will be larger next year.”
The Literacy Volunteers of Randolph County walked away with a third place overall Randolph County total team award, bringing home total proceeds of $2,290. The team also won the Best Team T-Shirt award.
Team leader Akiko Endo and her seven-member team helped raise $900 in sponsorships during a two-month period for their first-time endeavor with the Tucker Community Foundation.
Endo said it was a great event in that it provided an opportunity to network with other organizations working with literacy and reading.
“The event offered a wider sense of community. “I came away with a feeling that we were working together as a region.”
Endo said the funds brought back from the event will be used to continue outreach tutoring programs for adults in the county and to pay AmericCorps/Vista administrative fees.
The small but mighty Cub Scout Pack 88 placed sixth in overall team totals and also brought home a $1,000 McDonough Foundation award for a total of $1,405.00
Charlie Friddle, team leader, is proud of his six-member team for doing so well for a first-time venture.
“Team member Kyle Reed placed second in the under-10 age group,” Friddle said. “He and Kate Reed were the only runners, the rest of us walked.”
Friddle noted the weather was perfect and it was a “fun event.” He said the group will be planning for next year.
Other Randolph County teams bringing home awards and cash were: Second place in Randolph County team totals, the Pioneer Public Memorial Library of Harman with $4,550.00.
Fourth-place awardees were Knights of Columbus Council No.
