The fourth annual Charity Distance Festival hosted by Cary-based nonprofit Fit & Able will be virtual this year, and it will benefit the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.
Since 1987, Fit & Able has staged fitness-focused events for nonprofits, to help fund their missions. In a typical year, the Charity Distance Festival supports six to eight nonprofit organizations. However, this year’s event, on Saturday, June 20, will focus on one charity.
Due to the harsh conditions created by the coronavirus, the Food Bank is experiencing higher demand. People have been waiting in line to get food aid for three to five hours, says Travis Wright Colopy, executive director of Fit & Able.
“We saw some of the things they were posting about having really long lines of people needing their services, and we figured this is a good opportunity to really highlight them — to help anyone who has been impacted by the coronavirus and the economic situation,” he said.
A virtual race can be run (or walked) from any location: on one of Fit & Able’s suggested courses, on a favorite trail, or even on a treadmill. Participants can run their own race, at their own pace, and time it themselves. Organizers suggest getting together with small groups of friends to run and encourage each other.
To sign up for the race, participants must register on the Fit & Able website, no later than noon Saturday, June 20. In order to limit the number of runners on trails, runners will be able to run their race within a one week time frame — from noon Saturday, June 13, to noon Saturday, June 20. Runners can sign up for a mile, a 5k, or an 8k. The mile race is $15, the 5k is $30 and the 8k is $40.
As there is no live aspect of the race, runners can post their pictures or videos to social media using the hashtags #charitysocialdistancefestival, #noonegoeshungry and #foodbankcenc. Results will be posted by 6 p.m. Saturday, June 20, and race swag can be picked up on Sunday, June 21.
Every $10 raised enables the Food Bank to send 50 meals to people in need. This year, Fit & Able’s goal is to raise at least $100,000 for 500,000 meals.
To register visit: https://www.fitandableproductions.com/Race/NC/Cary/CharityDistanceFestival
