30th annual Run for Relief Aug. 6 at Wayne County Fairgrounds

PHOTOS PROVIDED

WOOSTER  The 30th annual Run for Relief will be at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 6 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.

The 1K race starts at 7:30 a.m. followed by the 5K event kicking off at 8 a.m.. The event is open to all runners or walkers. The starting line is in front of the new event center on the Fairgrounds. Registration fees will be paid by the participant. Registration is open at https://www.givesignup.org/Race/OH/Wooster/OhioMCCRun4Relief1K5KRun. Or by going on the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale website at https://ohiomccreliefsale.org/ and looking under Live Events for the Run for Relief. Or register the day of the event at the fairgrounds. Every participant will receive a t-shirt and the top 6 overall runners will receive an award. Age awards
will also be given.

This year, all the money raised will be donated to the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) to purchase mosquito nets for families in Africa, according to a news release. The 2022 Run 4 Relief will highlight the need for mosquito nets to keep all families healthy.  Families in countries like in Burkina Faso or the Congo don’t have access to repellent sprays or lotions. Some mosquitos bring deadly diseases like malaria or dengue fever. When you give a gift of a mosquito net, it ensures that all families have holistic health support. In countries in Africa, a mosquito net can prevent people from contracting malaria and dengue fever.

Through MCC, families like Habibou Diandé’s young family in Burkina Faso, will have access to a high-quality mosquito net to help prevent malaria and other mosquito-borne illnesses.

Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that in 2020, 241 million cases of malaria occurred, and 627,000 people died of malaria, most of them children in Africa. Because malaria causes illness and death, the disease is a great drain on many national economies. Since many countries with malaria are
already among the poorer nations, so the disease maintains a vicious cycle of disease and poverty.

For those of with younger children or participants who prefer a shorter distance and want to support MCC, the 1K Fun Run is available. This event will not be timed, and no awards will be given.  Everyone who participates in this event will receive a t-shirt.

Please remember to bring your water bottles. Gatorade and water will be available at the run.

All proceeds will be given to MCC to purchase mosquito nets for families.