Some wear regular running shoes with a tank top, others wear festive green colors in keeping with the spirit of the holiday—and some come in complete leprechaun outfits.
This is the scene during Haven Hospice’s annual “Run for Haven,” a fundraising event held on the weekend of St. Patrick’s Day to benefit Haven Hospice.
The event has grown tremendously in the mere three years of its existence, having ballooned from around 300 participants in 2010 to more than 700 last year.
Stephanie Brod, the fundraising and special events coordinator, said adding the St. Patrick’s Day theme to the run for the first time last year was a key factor in bringing in more people to participate in the event, which is held in the Town of Tioga off Newberry Road.
“We had a costume contest to go along with the run and I think that was a good draw for people,” she said. “I’d say about a quarter of the people dressed up last year, but we will probably have even more this year.”
Brod said the goal this year is to have 1,000 participants in the event, and she expects to meet that number because of the improvements made over the past three years.
“After the run every year I email all of the participants and ask them what they liked, because I really value their opinion and want them to come back,” she said. “With all the input we’ve received, the race gets better every year.”
Brod said the run has also featured a live band playing as the runners go by, as well as the Newberry High School cheerleaders to cheer on the runners as they started and ended the race. She said she hopes to bring in even more entertainment this year for the spectators as well.
“We’ve really worked to raise the awareness of the race with the residents of the Town of Tioga so they would come out and support the runners,” she said.
In addition to all of the fun that comes with the run, the most important aspect is that it is all for a good cause. Haven Hospice, the community not-for-profit hospice, has been providing end-of-life and palliative care throughout North Central Florida since 1979.
Susan Follick, the director of marketing, said the purpose of the run is to increase awareness and raise funds to provide end-of-life care for people who have no health coverage. All funds raised through the Run for Haven stay in the area to provide care for those in the community.
“We turn no one away,” she said. “Haven Hospice is such an important part of the community that so many people want to help support it.”
Follick said that not only is the run popular among members of the community, but also among staff members at Haven Hospice. To prepare for the event, Follick said about three dozen people will participate in a weekly training club in the weeks leading up to the run, which will be held March 16 this year.
“It’s called ‘Couch Potato to 5K,’” she said. “This is the first year we’re doing it and every Wednesday from Jan. 2 to the day of the run, we are meeting up and will slowly build up our ability to run the 5K.”
John Edwards, a Town of Tioga resident who has participated in the Run for Haven all three years, said the proximity and uniqueness of the run is why he enjoys it.
“It’s nice to be able to roll out of the house and walk down to the Town Center,” he said. “I also enjoy that it’s during the day. Most runs are early in the morning and you’re done by 8:30. For this one my wife and kids come down with signs and watch the race, so it’s nice.”
Edwards said his connection to Hospice comes from his grandmother, who once needed hospice care in Georgia. After learning how wonderful Haven Hospice was in Gainesville, he decided to help support the run.
“I think every person will at some point need something like Haven Hospice,” he said. “If not you, then your parents or grandparents, so I run for Haven as a good cause.”
Edwards said he will continue to participate because it is apparent to him how much people, like Brod, really care about making it a quality run.
“One thing that struck me after the first year was they sent surveys out and got feedback to make changes, so it seemed like a really well-run race from the start,” he said. “The people in charge really care about making changes and making it a great run.”