BUCKHANNON – A West Virginia Wesleyan College sorority hopes to receive 150 registrants for their annual 5K fundraiser this August.
The Pi-K is an annual 3.1-mile run fundraiser organized by Alpha Delta Pi Gamma Kappa to provide funds to Ronald McDonald Houses throughout the United States. The nonprofit family and children’s charity, Ronald McDonald House Charities, was founded to support families with sick children in their time of need, according to its website.
Julia McCoy, Alpha Delta Pi Gamma Kappa’s director of philanthropy, said the event will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, at the Riverwalk Trail Park.
“We have a national philanthropy with the Ronald McDonald House through our sorority, and we have a few philanthropies we work on, but we do this as our largest fundraiser because this is the most important one to us,” McCoy said. “It’s what our values and the sorority come back to; we have special ties to the Ronald McDonald House in Pittsburgh and Morgantown, specifically. The sorority makes it possible to spread it over all national houses.”
The 5K was able to register 50 people to participate in the race last year, and they hope to register at least 150 people this year.
“The registration fee is going to be the largest contributor, and when people register, they can also buy a shirt, and those funds will be going back to the philanthropy as well,” McCoy said. “I have a website with the registration form and all the information on it, and they can register there, and look at the shirt designs. They can also just donate directly to us if they can’t participate.”
The cost of registration is $15 for an adult (non-WVWC student entry), $5 for WVWC student entry, free for children eight and under and a T-shirt is $13.
“The money raised will go to the ADPI Foundation, who will evenly distribute the funds across Ronald McDonald Houses,” McCoy said. “Most of it goes to general renovation, upkeep of the spaces because we do donate more physical items, like cleaning supplies, food, things like that, outside of this, but this is more upkeep, renovation and general keeping the houses up to date.”
McCoy said participants don’t have to worry about a rough trail or running if they don’t want to.
“I would tell people they can walk or run because a lot of people fixate on the idea they have to run, but it can be a nice walk,” McCoy said. “Everybody is welcome, and the route is the Riverwalk Trail behind the campus, so it goes along the river back there, it’s all paved, so it’s really easy.”
