MORGANTOWN — Running might not be your thing, but who doesn’t love a good donut?
Genesis Healthcare and Operation Welcome Home have come together to put on their first ever Donut Run 0.5k.
The run will take place from 2-5 p.m. Oct. 28 at 452 Mylan Park Lane, alongside other activities.
Translated into miles, 0.5 kilometers is roughly 0.3 miles. In the middle of the race, runners can enjoy a donut power up to fuel the remaining fraction of the mile before them.
Stormie Fluharty, from Genesis Healthcare, is no stranger to working with Operation Welcome Home, but this is the first time Genesis is collaborating with the nonprofit that aims to serve U.S. veterans coming back to civilian life.
Genesis works in skilled nursing for the elderly, but they also work with veterans. She also said it’s important to get Genesis’ name out into the community and let people know about their services. Genesis serviced 24,000 veterans in the U.S. in 2017 and employs 1,300 vets currently.
The idea behind the 0.5k race was so anyone could participate. There will also be a costume contest, trick-or-treating, games and food.
“We wanted to make it family-friendly, pet-friendly, that way everybody could come out and have something to do for the afternoon,” she said.
Brett Simpson, CEO of Operation Welcome Home, said this event is a great way to not only highlight Genesis but also show they’re giving back to a very worthy cause that relies solely on donations and fundraisers to stay in operation.
“We’re really excited. We think it’s going to be a really fun and unique event, and it’s something that we’ve never done up here before,” he said.
Free screenings will also be available from Genesis. These include fall risk assessments, balance tests and blood pressure screenings alongside a first aide tent in case anyone “overdoes it on the donuts.”
All paid participants in the 0.5k will receive a T-shirt, a car sticker and a donut. The cost is $25. Kids 12 and under can walk or run for free but will not receive race gear. All the proceeds raised will be donated to Operation Welcome Home.
Operation Welcome Home has been busy within the community, too. Simpson said coming up, they’ll be participating in Trunk-or-Treat on Oct. 27 at Triple S Harley-Davidson.
“We just want the community to know what we do and what we’ve accomplished and we like to do that face to face,” he said.
- Registration is available online at https://genesis healthcare.redpodium.com/gene sis-05k-sponsoring-operation-wel come-home
