Preston County Teams Ready to Run For It

Preston County causes are represented by eleven teams in Tucker Community Foundation’s 10th
Annual Run For It, doubling the amount of Preston County teams from 2015. Teams are seeking members and sponsor support to help capture a slice of the $85,000 that will be awarded on Saturday, September 24 at Run For It, a 2k walk and 5k run around the Town of Davis, WV. Teams returning this year are the After School Explorers, Aurora Project, Friends of the Cheat, Kingwood Elementary School Stags, Preston Community Fund Runners, and Preston County Humane Society. New teams have been formed for the Aurora Area Historical Society, Aurora Mountain Lions Club, Preston Mat Club, and Wade’s WOW Playground.

Susie Huggins, with her dog Sidney in tow, is back leading the After School Explorers team. The After School Explorers is an after school program which provides homework help, healthy snacks, computer time, physical activity, enrichments and more for 400 children in eight schools in Preston County. Their Run For It proceeds will go to growing the After School Explorers endowed fund for perpetual programming support. The Kingwood Elementary Stags seek alternative strategies to help our students succeed academically and socially. Led by Jill Zeigler, the Kingwood Elementary Stags are racing to support programs such as gardening and outdoor education, robotics and coding, leadership and anti-bullying education, and more. Joni Blamble is the team captain for the new team representing the Aurora School PTO. The team will use their proceeds to help provide the staff and students with the tools they need to succeed.

Sisters Jo-Ann Helton and Jeannette Adams have joined the race as team captains for the Aurora Area Historical Society and the Aurora Mountain Lions Club, respectively. The Aurora Area Historical Society team looks to support their mission of discovering, collecting, interpreting, presenting and preserving items pertaining to the history of the Union District of Preston County, West Virginia. The Aurora Mountain Lions Club has gotten a team together to support their community programs in the local school, where they work with the Sight Foundation to provide vision screenings for the students.

The Preston Community Fund Runners and Team Captain Dave Moran are again running and walking to grow the Preston Community Fund. The Preston Community Fund provides grants and scholarships to benefit communities throughout Preston County. Alice Fleischman is also back with the Aurora Project looking for support in their mission of fanning the spark of inspiration. The Aurora Project enriches the local community with regular events, workshops, school programs, and the restoration of historic cottages for heritage tourism and economic development.

Friends of the Cheat, founders of the popular high-five station at the 2015 race, are returning, again led by Team Captain Amanda Pitzer. Friends of the Cheat have been working hard this year to gain support for their team, and their efforts paid off early when they won the leaderboard contest for the most in team sponsor donations before August 1st. Team proceeds will go to their work restoring, preserving, and promoting the Cheat River Watershed. Dana Rexroad is once again at the helm of the Preston County Humane Society’s team. The team’s proceeds will go to their Spay/Neuter Assistance and Community Care programs, helping Preston County families reduce the number of homeless and unwanted pets.

Wade’s WOW Playground team, with Jason Mazza as the captain, is running and walking in their inaugural race. They aim to raise awareness and funds for an all-inclusive playground in Kingwood, WV that would be truly accessible and inspiring to individuals of all ages and abilities. Also new this year is the Preston Mat Club. Steered by Buddy Turner the team is looking for support for Preston County youth wrestling programs for 4-14 year olds.

Since 2007, the Run For It program has generated over $900,000 for the region served by Tucker Community Foundation which includes Barbour, Grant, Mineral, Preston, Pocahontas, Randolph, and Tucker County, West Virginia and Garrett County, Maryland. All proceeds are donated to the winner’s community cause. With more than 100 award categories, there is plenty of opportunity to cash in. Speed is not required to win.

Run For It is held on the streets of Davis during Leaf Peepers Festival. The 2k walk and 5k run starts and finishes in front on the Davis Volunteer Fire Department on Route 32. Racers can enjoy music, craft vendors, food and other festivities before and after the race.

Register now to enter the race. Pre-registration ends September 15 but racers can still join your team on Friday, September 23 from 5-7pm or on Saturday, September 24, 8-9:30 am at the fire hall. Team sponsor donations postmarked or made online by September 15 help teams leverage additional support. Donors can support multiple teams. Register or donate online at www.raceroster.com/8610. Entry forms, team sponsor coupons, and information are available at www.tuckerfoundation.net/run. For more information, call 304.259.5008.

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