Public welcome to 15th annual AIDS/HIV 5k
Island Park sign on crossroads of Lincoln and Main Street. (CM Life photo | Lydia Soltis)
The Central Michigan Health Department will be hosting its 15th annual HIV/AIDS 5K Run on Sept. 21. Starting in Island Park's West Pavilion, everyone over age 17 will pay $25 to enter. The funds will go to people with HIV, and student outreach to de-stigmatize and to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Those under 17 can enter if they bring an item from the Strickler Center on High Street to donate.
“It’s like a mini health fair,” said Anna Reetz, who helped organize the event for five years before passing the torch. “We have music along the course (and) HIV facts along the course.”
The facts will teach people about HIV and AIDS as they are running.
Before and after running the course, participants can visit the people that are tabling at the event. They can grab snacks and learn about health resources in Mount Pleasant.
The event starts at 9:30 a.m. Participants can arrive as early as 8:30 a.m to sign up, or can sign up through the QR code on the flyer.
Reetz said some will sign up for the virtual 5k and runon a date before the event at their own time and pace.
“It's a fun run," she said. "It’s come as you are. You can walk, run, crawl, whatever it takes to cross the finish line. We stress that it's a fun run.”
Before people run, there will be a program announcement about the funds being raised as well as an overview of the course, which runs through several parks in downtown Mount Pleasant. Reetz said the course is taped off and easy to navigate.
Reetz said some of the raised money goes to help people who have HIV cross any barriers that may come across in getting treatment.
“It's a great way to help people in the Central Michigan community and have fun yourself,” she said.
