Fatal Fire: Emmaus Main Street Partners Organizes Benefit Run

After a little bit of discussion about the route the runners would be taking, Emmaus Borough Council ultimately voted 7-0 to support a May 11 benefit run being organized by the Emmaus Main Street Partners to help the survivors the fatal March 17 apartment fire in the borough.

Councilmen Brent Labenberg and Mike Waddell initially questioned the route, which would start the runners at The Emmaus Run Inn on Main Street and ultimately take them through town to the new trail head and down by the Borough Recycling Center.

Both councilmen expressed concern for the safety of the runners, since no street closures were being requested. Labenberg also questioned what motorists would do as the group of runners was crossing the street en masse at borough intersections and preventing their vehicles from making it through.

"I guess they would only be waiting for one turn of the light," Labenberg said, answering his own concern.

Councilman Wesley Barrett, the organizer of the Borough Halloween 5K, assured the rest of the group that care had been taken in developing the route for this race, stressing that the runners would be using sidewalks as much as possible.

Plus, he likened what would be happening on the day of the event to what happens in the borough early in the Emmaus High School track season when a group of runners "200 kids wide" is moving through Emmaus streets.

"It's the same thing," Barrett said, "and this is a charity event. There is no competition. There is not even a registration fee; it's just a donation.

"The runners will just be out there for a run. Even if a train came through, which is a very real possibility, they'd just stop and wait. It's not a race," he said.

Those who want to support the cause by participating in the race have the option of completing a 3K walk, a 5K run, or both, according to Council President Lee Ann Gilbert, who said the whole event ends at Volpe's Sports Bar.

The charity race in support of the survivors of the Fifth Street apartment fire is scheduled from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on May 11.