Holiday-Themed Costumes Welcomed During This Weekend's Reindeer Run

Submission by the Wheaton Park District/City of Wheaton

Many people struggle with two things during the winter: tolerating the cold and tolerating all the sweet treats the holiday season brings.

The Wheaton Lions Club and the Wheaton Park District offer their solution: the 7th Annual Lions Club Reindeer Run 5K on Saturday, December 5.

Holiday-themed costumes and good spirits are strongly encouraged.

The race is certified by the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA), with a route starting and ending near the DuPage County Historical Museum on Wesley Street. Awards will be given to the top male and female finishers, and the top three finishers per age group.

Profits benefit Wheaton Lions Club, established in 1923 with the purpose of serving the sight- and hearing-impaired. Wheaton Lions Club collects “eyeglasses and hearing aids to improve the lives of needy people everywhere,” and also offers “college scholarship assistance to high school seniors with sight or hearing impairment,” according to wheatonlions.org.

The Reindeer Run is open to avid runners and walkers of all ages. Registration is $35/individual and $30/individual in a team. A minimum of four is required to qualify for team rate.

Registration will be available during packet pickup and on race day for $40/individual.

Register online at active.com, keyword “reindeer run,” through December 1.

The first 1,000 participants to pick up their microchip-equipped race bibs will receive a long-sleeved tech shirt and pair of antlers. Packet pickup will be on Thursday, December 3, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Community Center at 1777 S. Blanchard Road, and also the morning of the race starting at 7 a.m. Participants can also register at packet pick up on Thursday or on site race day at the DuPage Historical Museum at 102 E. Wesley from 7 to 8:20 a.m.

The race is sponsored in part by First Trust; Gerald Subaru; Merrill Lynch; Northwestern Medicine; Mathieson, Moyski, Austin & Co., LLP; Whole Foods; Culligan; Trust Company of Illinois; and Wheaton Bank and Trust Company.

For more information about the race, please visit wheatonparkdistrict.com/reindeerrun or contact Race Director Ryan Miller at rmiller@wheatonparks.org or 630.510.5135.

Road Closures During Reindeer 5K

The Wheaton Lions Club/Wheaton Park District 5K Reindeer Run will be held onSaturday, Dec. 5, 2015, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

From approximately 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., the following streets will be temporarily closed for this event:

• Main Street – between Front Street & Jefferson Avenue
• Jefferson Avenue – between Main Street & Cross Street
• Cross Street – between Jefferson Street & Prairie Avenue
• Prairie Avenue – between Cross Street & Santa Rosa Avenue
• Santa Rosa Avenue – between Prairie Avenue & Cadillac Drive
• Cadillac Drive – between Santa Rosa & Webster Avenue
• Webster Avenue – between Cadillac Drive & Forest Avenue
• Forest Avenue – between Webster Avenue & Santa Rosa Avenue
• Santa Rosa Avenue – between Forest Avenue & Oak Avenue
• Oak Avenue – between Santa Rosa Avenue & Washington Street
• Washington Street – between Oak Avenue & Wesley Street
• Wesley Street – between Washington Street & Main Street

See a map of these closures.

During the event, streets will be adequately staffed with uniformed police officers to assist and direct traffic.