Camp Jabberwocky Hosts 5K on Saturday

On Saturday, August 20, will hold its 3^rd annual 5K run. If this year is anything like last, the race will attract at least 500 participants, be hugely successful, and provide participants with the time of their lives.

Anyone who has visited the island during the summer months should be as familiar with Camp Jabberwocky as they are with the Steamship Authority ferry. The camp’s colorful, whimsical bus and vans are commonplace sights around the Island. Camp Jabberwocky was founded during the summer of 1953 by Helen Lamb with a handful of children and a young assistant as a small experiment. Offering a fun camp experience for children with cerebral palsy, Jabberwocky has since grown into a 14-acre site in Vineyard Haven with 17 buildings and a volunteer staff of more than 60. Jabberwocky today serves more than 100 children and adults with various disabilities every summer. Campers range in age from 8 to 85 years old.

The 5K run evolved from a desire by camp officials to host a fun activity that would serve as a fundraising event—one that would engage the local community and vacationers, and broaden the understanding of the camp’s importance.

Camp counselors Kaitlin Burkle and Brent Rydin serve as race organizers. Twenty-four-old Burkle of Brookline is a graduate student at Lesley University in Cambridge. She has been vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard for many years with her family and has spent the last four summers as a counselor at the camp. For the last three years, she has helped to organize the road race and the volunteers, who play an integral part in ensuring that all goes well during Saturday’s event.

“The run is open to everyone,” said Burkle. “Campers, as well as anyone else who would like to participate, can sign up. We welcome runners, walkers, strollers, and wheelchairs.” Last year, approximately 500 people participated in the race. This year the organizers are hoping to surpass that number, and there is a good chance of that happening. “Each year the number of participants in the race has increased,” said Burkle.

The race will take place at 9 a.m. at the in Katama; a Frabjous Fun Run/Wheel Race half-mile race will follow at 10:30 a.m. Runners can register on the day of the race at the race site 7:15 to 8:30 a.m. Registration is $30 for the 5K, $15 for the fun run.

Rydin, 25, lives in Boston by way of Connecticut. He will be starting law school at Northeastern University in the fall. Like Burkle, his involvement in Camp Jabberwocky began about three years ago while vacationing on the island. “Our neighbor on the Island worked at the camp. One day, she invited me to come to work with her. I spent the day at the camp and enjoyed it. The next thing I knew, I was at the camp the next day with my backpack. I had my own bunk and became a counselor.”

Organizers are hoping that the Camp Jabberwocky 5K run will become an island tradition. “The ultimate goal is to make it one of the big events of the summer,” said Rydin.

The race has attracted a number of ultimate racers during previous years. According to Rydin, racers who compete in the Cape Cod race circuit and other nearby races have been signing up. With Celtic tickets as the grand prize, ultimate racers will have stiff competition from sports fans, competitive runners and campers.

Camp Jabberwocky is a private, non-profit charitable organization that attempts to accommodate all campers regardless of economic background. The policy at Jabberwocky is that no camper be denied time at camp because of an inability to pay. Proceeds from the race will be used to sustain camp operations and to provide tuition assistance for campers in need.

Registration for the race and information about Camp Jabberwocky can be found at www.campjabberwocky.org.