Pinnacle moves forward on Charity 5K Race to support area United Ways
Published 10:35 am Tuesday, June 16, 2020
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The Pinnacle, the region’s premier shopping experience, is planning to move forward with the organization and support of their annual charity 5K run/walk that raises money to support regional United Way organizations. This year’s charity event will follow all state guidelines to provide a safe environment for participants. The charity run is an important fundraising function that provides much-needed support for regional community organizations that are in great need during these unprecedented times.
Local officials are currently evaluating whether or not events, like The Pinnacle 5K, will be allowed. With concerns over COVID-19 and the spread within the region, race organizers have had to develop a plan to provide as much safety to participants as they can. Some of those special preparations that organizers for The Pinnacle 5K run/walk will include:
• Limitation of race size to no more than 200 participants.
• All registration will be contactless, being managed complete through online registration process.
• Minimal contact packet pickup.
• Availability of hand sanitizer at all stations.
• A staggered start to the race to spread runners/walkers out during the event.
• Educate participants to space out and not run in packs.
• Participants will be required to provide their own water and bottles for the race. No water stations will be available during the race.
• Results will be distributed via text to remove.
• No awards ceremony will be held this year. Awards can be picked up at designated location after the race.
• Require those that complete the race not to congregate together, but to disperse for social distancing.
The goal is to allow local runners and walkers the opportunity to enjoy an event in a sport they love safely, while providing critical exposure and support for our regional United Way organizations — which are currently heavily burdened in providing support to those in the region in need at this time.
“The Pinnacle 5K is such an important event for United Way,” says Lisa Cofer, Executive Director for United Way of Bristol. “As you can imagine, all the events that have happened this year have put a tremendous demand for help on our organizations. The Pinnacle 5K provides us critical financial resources as well as important public exposure going into our fall fundraising season — which will be more important than ever this year.”
The United Ways in the Tri-Cities and Southwest Virginia are an integral part of providing support to our communities in times of need. The work they are doing helps give food, shelter, and basic necessities to many in our community that have become unemployed or with limited access to other resources. Fundraising events like The Pinnacle 5K run/walk offer an opportunity for participants to support efforts like food banks, housing support, support for underprivileged students and children, support for elderly in the community, and support for regional homeless.
