Julie Le Goff loves running.
She has run a handful of 10-kilometre races, and now she finds herself on the other side, as she’s organizing one of her own — the Comox Valley Pregnancy Care Centre’s first Lake Run Fun Run or Walk.
The five-kilometre run/walk and 10-kilometre run/walk will take place May 23 during Cumberland Empire Days and will raise money for the Comox Valley Pregnancy Care Centre and for the Mom and Tots group at the Cumberland Recreation Centre.
Le Goff, who is the Comox Valley Pregnancy Care Centre’s executive director, was inspired to do a fundraising run due to her own passion for running.
She thought it would be nice if there was a 10-kilometre run in the Comox Valley, and while pregnancy care centres in other cities have fundraising walks, Le Goff felt there were already a lot of walks in the Valley.
“I thought I like doing races, and there are probably a lot of people who do too,” she said. “Some people will probably participate because they want to participate, and some will because they want to help the centre.”
The Lake Run will take place May 23 at noon at Empire Days in Cumberland.
The race will start at Cumberland Village Park, head down Derwent Avenue and out to Comox Lake and back.
“I love that run out to the lake and back,” said Le Goff. “It’s such a beautiful road to run on, and I always thought this would be a great place to race.”
There is no age limit, and participants can run or walk.
Registration starts at 9 a.m. at the Cumberland Village Park.
The entrance fee is $10, and pre-registration can be done through the Pregnancy Care Centre at 785 Sixth Street in Courtenay or at the Cumberland Recreation Centre at 2665 Dunsmuir Ave.
The Lake Run is taking place in conjunction with Empire Days in Cumberland, and Le Goff thinks it is a great fit.
When Le Goff approached David Durrant, Cumberland’s manager of community services, about the run, he told her that Nautical Days and Canada Day each have races, and Empire Days wanted a race in Cumberland as well, she explained.
The Comox Valley Pregnancy Care Centre has been serving the Comox Valley since 1991, offering services such as free pregnancy tests, peer options counselling, community referrals, abortion recovery help and support, a miscarriage and infant loss support group, and baby and maternity clothing.
The Lake Run is raising money for the Comox Valley Pregnancy Care Centre to continue to offer its services and to help support its free clothing room, and Le Goff hopes they can raise enough money to offer more educational opportunities in the community.
Proceeds from the Lake Run will also go to the Moms and Tots group at the Cumberland Recreation Centre.
“Lots of the moms in Cumberland have been clients and have used our clothing room or donated to our clothing room, and I want to help that group too,” said Le Goff. “I think it’s great for women to have a place they can connect and make friends with other moms.”
Runners and walkers are encouraged to get sponsors, and the runner with the most sponsored donations will win an iPod Touch.
There will also be draw prizes for participants.
writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com
