Community newspaper serving Kingsville, Leamington, Wheatley and surrounding area
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Community newspaper serving Kingsville, Leamington, Wheatley and surrounding area
The 4th annual Erie Shores Health Foundation’s Run and Roll was held on Sunday, May 5 with a fitting Cinco de Mayo theme as the parking lot near the Hospice Erie Shores Campus was turned into a piazza for the morning.
About 700 participants entered the event, all with a common goal: to raise money for the foundation and get some well-needed Sunday morning exercise.
Some participants joined on their own or walked or ran with a friend, while others formed teams in honour of a loved one lost. There were 40 teams entered in this year’s event and those teams raised a combined $68,000 in pledges, as the event highlighted 68 honouree families.
The day started with close to one hundred 5k-timed runners taking to the course, which wound its way throughout the streets of Leamington and back.
About 41 half-marathon runners then got underway and followed a longer course around the town.
The 5k walkers and wheelers comprised the largest group who left the start line next, followed by the 11k slow roll cyclists and the 25k slow roll cyclists, all of whom cycled beyond the hospice property along the Greenway and back.
The kids dash is always fun to watch and about 25 children took to the 400m course as excited parents and grandparents cheered them on.
All participants received medals and swag bags at the finish.
Development Officer, Events, for Erie Shores Health Foundation, Gloria Cavenago, took time to thank the participants, sponsors and volunteers, who all made it possible to pull off the event.
“Sponsors, we could not do this without you,” she said. “And a special thanks to our volunteers as well. My amazing committee — if there is any such thing as dream team, this is 100 percent it.”
Erie Shores Health Foundation Executive Director Penny Bellhouse echoed her sentiments as she took the microphone for greetings from the foundation.
“The energy, the compassion, the generosity we’ve seen here this morning is just beyond anything I’ve ever seen,” she said.
Bellhouse talked about the arrival of the portable MRI unit at the hospital in recent days and also said that 100 percent of the proceeds from Sunday’s event goes to the purchase of capital equipment at Erie Shores HealthCare.
While a total amount raised was not available prior to press time, it is expected to be released in the coming days.
