Registration is open for YWCA Bucks County’s Run/Walk for Empowerment, which will take place Oct. 14
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
Since 1954, YWCA Bucks County has been on a mission to serve local women, girls and families. A nonprofit based in Trevose, the organization works tirelessly to better the lives of low-income residents through educational programming, rehousing assistance, cultural diversity awareness and more.
This fall, the community can get involved in that mission. On Sunday, Oct. 14, at Core Creek Park in Langhorne, YWCA Bucks County, in conjunction with Bryn Mawr Racing Company, will host its first Run/Walk for Empowerment. Proceeds from the event will go toward YWCA’s various programs and services that work to help community members when they need it most.
According to YWCA resource development associate Erin Winkler, the idea for the Run/Walk stemmed from a race the nonprofit held in Yardley approximately five years ago.
“We haven’t had it since then,” explained Winkler.
But she and the YWCA staff wanted to change that.
Rather than host an identical event, YWCA decided to switch things up, opting for broader offerings of a 5K and 1-mile fun run, both taking place in the spacious Core Creek Park. Furry friends are even invited to partake in the latter as long as they’re on a leash. The races will be divided into numerous age groups, including 12 and under, 60 and older, and everything in between. Immediately following the races, awards will be distributed to the overall winner and top finishers within each age bracket.
For the debut year of the Run/Walk for Empowerment, YWCA has set a fundraising goal of $15,000, with proceeds benefiting its multitude of programs. According to Winkler, a portion will be designated to Rapid Rehousing, a transitional housing program that provides women and children with rental assistance, intensive case management and support services. The key purpose is to help them exit homelessness as quickly as possible and return to permanent housing.
Funds raised at the Run/Walk will also be put toward its extensive after-school initiatives. A prime example is TechGYRLS, a 12-week program that allows elementary and middle school girls to learn how to design a robot using the Lego Mindstorms curriculum.
Additional services provided by YWCA include employment assistance, which helps unemployed adults in Bucks County create resumes and learn interviewing techniques; family support programs, which take place in local apartment complexes and serve as one-stop-shops for computer and ESL classes, homework zones and more; human trafficking awareness; and Reading to End Racism, a hallmark component of the YWCA that works to drive a conversation regarding racism in the community.
YWCA Bucks County is part of YWCA USA, a network of 220 locations in 47 states that serves more than 2 million in the country and 25 million worldwide. For more on YWCA Bucks County, located at 2425 Trevose Road in Trevose, visit ywcabucks.org or call 215–953–7793. ••
If you go…
YWCA Bucks County’s Run/Walk for Empowerment will take place Sunday, Oct. 14, at Core Creek Park, 901 Bridgetown Pike in Langhorne at Pavilion 11. Enter through the TollGate Road Entrance. There are various parking lots inside of the park.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. with the race starting at 9 a.m. Registration fees for the 5K are $25 early bird registration (before Aug. 31), $30 standard entry (before Oct. 13), $35 walk up entry, and $250 group rate for a team of 10 or more. Cost for the 1-mile fun run is $20 per individual runner/walker (dogs are welcome on their leashes).
To register, visit runsignup.com/Race/PA/Langhorne/YWCAEmpowerment5KRunWalk. Sponsorships are available.
Samantha Bambino can be reached at [email protected]
