Run aids OneEighty’s ongoing fight against abuse
This year’s Holmes County Friends & Neighbors of OneEighty 5k Trail Run will take place on the Hunter Tree Farm.
Some people run for fun; other people run for the competitive nature.
Regardless of why people participate in a 5k, both the serious competitors and leisurely novices out for a good time will have a chance to venture into the great outdoors and do some real good in an upcoming event.
Holmes County Friends & Neighbors of OneEighty will host the 5k Trail Run on Saturday, April 24 with the race taking place on the Hunter Tree Farm. The race will be on mostly flat grass and woodland trails with the race both starting and ending at Annie’s Place.
While this race has been held at Lake Buckhorn in the past years and has often been a color run filled with powdery puffs of colors, this year’s event will take on a decidedly different look, one that will certainly take participants back to nature as the course meanders through some scenic woodlands on a trail course.
“Over the years we have developed a really good working relationship with Bob Hunter and Kevin Beachy, and they have given us a golden opportunity to provide a unique experience for participants,” said Ashley Vaughn, president of Holmes County Friends & Neighbors, an organization created to support the efforts of OneEighty. “We are really excited about having the chance to host our race on Hunter Tree Farm. It is a stunning place to visit, and the scenery is beautiful.”
Vaughn said the race is designed for runners and walkers of all styles, whether it is competitive runners or those wanting to invest in the endeavors of OneEighty.
“People ask me all the time if our race is designed for serious runners, and I always tell them it is designed for every type of runner,” Vaughn said. “We hope that moving the race to the farm will pull in a wider audience of participants who are not only eager to run, but also want to take in the incredible scenic views nature has to offer on the farm’s woodlands.”
She added the Hunters are inviting anyone who would like to hang around after the race to do so and explore the woodlands and the area.
Registration on race day will open at 8:30 a.m. with the race beginning at 9:30 a.m. Online registration will end Wednesday, April 21. Participants are asked to bring $25 per person in cash or check. Credit cards will not be accepted on the day of the event, due to limited WiFi ability.
The race is $25 per person with kids 10 years old and under free. The cost includes a shirt, but shirts are not guaranteed for registrations after April 12. The race also includes water and fruit (bananas) at the finish line. Kids may purchase a shirt for $10.
The contributions of Hunter and Beachy also will present something new to this event. According to Vaughn, for years this event has recorded times manually with volunteers pulling bibs off runners coming to the finish line. This year’s event will feature a timing system, something all runners like to see in a race.
No dogs are allowed on the trail, and no strollers, wagons or any other device with wheels are allowed on the trail. A water station will be available halfway through the trail course, and there will be one Porta Potty available on site.
As for the purpose behind the event, all proceeds will go directly back to OneEighty in Wooster.
Every Woman’s House began in 1978 when a group of women in Wayne County began meeting informally to discuss the need to serve women who were victims of family violence, especially those trying to flee from an abusive partner.
The women began using volunteer efforts to provide shelter and support to battered women and rape victims. In 1982 the donation of an 11-room house allowed the agency to offer a short-term domestic violence shelter while also expanding their services to include victim advocacy, counseling, support groups and a 24-hour hotline. Now titled OneEighty, the organization has expanded to support several other types of outreach opportunities.
“We have been fortunate to have some really tremendous people working in the organization, and we have gotten more involved in a lot of new ways,” Vaughn said.
With a new facility opening in 2019, OneEighty continues to make serving those suffering from domestic abuse a priority, and Vaughn said they continue to have members reaching out into various communities to share the horror stories of abuse along with inspiring successes that have resulted from OneEighty’s efforts.
Holmes County Friends & Neighbors has been a partner to that mission for years, and Vaughn said the Holmes County organization has been very intentional in letting people know why they exist.
The Holmes County Friends & Neighbors of OneEighty committee would like to recognize The Ugly Buck for helping facilitate the race and CSB as a bib sponsor. Hunter Tree Farm is located at 11965 Township Road 252 near Glenmont.