Jersey Shore Running Club to host 23rd annual Saturday in the Park

Jersey Shore Running     Club to host 23rd annual Saturday in the Park

Nearly five hundred individual women runners and walkers are expected to join together at Holmdel Park on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend to raise funds for and promote awareness of charitable organizations that provide essential services to women and their children in Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Presented by the Jersey Shore Running Club, the twenty-third annual Saturday in the Park 5K “Women Taking Steps to Help Women” will be a fun-filled, rain or shine event featuring a Women’s 5K Run and Scenic 3-Mile Walk at 9:00am and Children’s Races at approximately 10:00am. The event attracts female runners and walkers of ALL ages & abilities.
Race Day Registration begins at 8:00 am.  All women in the 2016 5K will receive a high quality, women’s style wicking v-neck shirt, goody bag and finishers gift. Entry fees are $25 before August 28, $30 after August 28 and $5 for Children’s Races.  Participants who raise $75 or more in pledges receive free entry.

“We are very proud to be celebrating our 23rd year.  Extremely proud because since its inception, Saturday in the Park has raised over $220,000 supporting programs dedicated to providing shelter, counseling, advocacy and education for women and their families in both Monmouth and Ocean counties.” said Penny Hinck, Race Director, Jersey Shore Running Club. Past participants of Saturday in the Park have consistently remarked about how they have been touched by the ceremony at the start of the race when the runners and walkers join hands and realize the need for all of us to come together to support these “safe harbors” for women and their families.

“For 2016 our primary beneficiaries are Providence House of Catholic Charities in Ocean County, and Linkages, also of Catholic Charities in Monmouth County” added Hinck. In addition to the funds raised, the Saturday in the Park event has helped to create a greater public awareness of the options and services available to omen.
The Saturday in the Park event was first staged at Bodman Park in Middletown, and was then held at Monmouth University and Brookdale Community College, before finding its home at Holmdel Park in 1999.  For this 23rd year, organizers are extending free entry to any previous-year champion, and are reaching out to past participants to see how many years they may have participated, hoping to recognize those who have participated most frequently; contact the race at penny@saturdayinthepark5k.org.

Held at the site of the high school championship course, the Saturday in the Park Women’s 5K has enjoyed enthusiastic support from many girls’ high school and youth athletic teams; many high school athletes use this opportunity to familiarize themselves with the course, and set their goals for the upcoming Cross Country season.  To show our appreciation to these teams and to encourage continued support of SIP and the race’s beneficiaries, the race offers two benefits to high school and youth athletic teams.  First, all team members will get the special entry fee of $20 prior to August 28.  Second, awards will be given to the top three teams based on their number of participants.

Saturday in the Park event past-year sponsors have included:  Monmouth Medical Center Foundation, Friends of the Spring Lake Five, Charity House Foundation, JAG Physical Therapy, New Jersey Natural Gas Company, Monmouth County Police Chiefs Association, Assemblyman Sean Kean, Two River Community Bank, Food Circus, Kenney Gross Kovats & Parton, MacGowan Agency, Shore Athletic Club and Windmill Restaurants.
Members of the race committee include JSRC members and charity representatives: Jennifer Bauer, Cathy Berth, Mindy Brady, Jim Buckler, Lorraine Buckler, Dawn Ciccone, Barbara Hay, Eileen Higgins, Philip Hinck, Karen Hornberger, Elizabeth Ireland, Luann McGraw, Suzanne Parton, Joanne Sodano and Theresa Veilleux.

On race day, Saturday in the Park 5K will be joined by HOKA One-One who will be bringing demo shoes to the event for people to try as well as giveaway bottles and hair ties; and Karen Kelly will be offering yoga/stretching on the lawn pre-race.
The committee will also offer extraordinary prizes thanks to the generosity of the business community, including a grand prize drawing of a women’s bicycle, compliments of Jack & Diane Cheer and Brielle Cyclery; kids’ race drawings, compliments of race committee members; and unique awards for all category winners.

The Mary Conry Memorial Award will be presented to the first JSRC member to finish. Mary was a member of the JSRC and the Saturday in the Park Race Committee; event participants are asked to wear ribbons and/or temporary tattoos in Mary’s honor. A recognition award is presented in memory of Dr. Chuck Whelan, former Saturday in the Park Race Director.

Opportunities for sponsorship and goodie bag donations are still available.  All sponsors will receive signage recognition and be highlighted in the event program.   Individuals and companies may contact Penny Hinck, JSRC at (732) 571-2162 or email: penny@saturdayinthepark5k.org.

Jersey Shore Running Club is the largest running club in New Jersey with well over 1,500 members.  Dedicated to both running and to the community, JSRC events support local community and charitable organizations.  The club offers a variety of benefits including a monthly newsletter and an up-to-date website, www.jsrc.org.  The JSRC offers the camaraderie of running with friends through its group runs.  In past years, the club hosted Rundamentals, a beginning running program for women, to help them prepare to participate in the Saturday in the Park as their first 5K.
For more information on Saturday in the Park 5K, contact Penny Hinck at 732-571-2162 or penny@saturdayinthepark5k.org, or visit www.saturdayinthepark5k.org.