The Race Is On...In Grant Park

Grant Park will host hundreds of runners and walkers Saturday who'll be participating in a 5K run and walk to raise money for historically black colleges and universities and promote health awareness.

This year’s 4th Annual Atlanta HBCU Alumni Alliance 5K Run/Walk scholarship fundraiser is expected to raise more than $30,000 for scholarships that support metro Atlanta students attending the institutions that comprise the Alliance, organizers say.

This year’s theme, Run for You, Run for Them, Run for Us, embodies the health aspect and the importance of getting active, represents the scholarship dollars raised for future students of participating HBCUs, and symbolizes the strength and success each school achieves when the institutions work collectively.

The registration fee for the event is $30 and $35 on event day, June 25. Registration on race day is 7:30 a.m. with the race beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Though the race begins in the park itself — just north of the lake — it will involve lane closures on parts of Boulevard, Atlanta, Cherokee and Park avenues, as runners make their way through. [See map.]

Last year State Farm served as the sole Gold-Level Scholarship sponsor by contributing $5,000 or more to the race. This year The Home Depot and McDonald’s join State Farm as gold level sponsors.  

Signing on as second-time Bronze-Level Scholarship sponsors are Johnson Controls and McKesson. Pepsi and Priority Payment Systems are first-time sponsors for this level.

Prior to the race, Ronald McDonald will lead runners and walkers in a pre-event warm-up.  During the race, Homer Depot, The Home Depot’s mascot, will keep the “little runners” busy building their own small toolboxes at the “Kid’s How-to Clinic.”

In addition, McDonald’s will offer free samples of their new frozen strawberry lemonade beverage while The Home Depot staff distributes gift cards, popcorn and other promotional items. Although there is not an official job component to the event, recruiting representatives from The Home Depot will be on hand to discuss current employment opportunities available with the company.

Immediately following the race, runners and walkers can receive free blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, and body mass screenings at the AHBCUAA health fair. Race participants will also be encouraged to continue moving towards a balanced, healthy lifestyle at the free McDonald’s Mc Cafe concert headlined by a surprise nationally recording artist.

For more information about the race call 404-260-7404. To register online, visit www.hbcualumniatlanta.com.