For 43 years, people have been running, walking and raising funds for the Seal Beach community during the Spring for the annual 5K/10K run and 5K walk, and for the last few years, the 1K kids fun run and fun zone. This year’s race along the scenic oceanfront course in Old Town Seal Beach takes place on April 8.
For 43 years, people have been running, walking and raising funds for the Seal Beach community during the Spring for the annual 5K/10K run and 5K walk, and for the last few years, the 1K kids fun run and fun zone. This year’s race along the scenic oceanfront course in Old Town Seal Beach takes place on April 8.
The run takes a year of planning from the all-volunteer board of directors, an operational race day team and more than 500 volunteers on race day. Greg Phillips, race director said, “Our mission is to promote health and fitness in a family friendly event, while supporting non-profit groups providing recreation, fitness and leisure in our local community.”
Run Seal Beach is one of the largest grant giving organizations in our region. Funds go to a variety of non-profits, particularly in the sports and recreation sector.
The entire Los Alamitos Unified School District (LAUSD) actually is the major beneficiary with over 48 percent of the total funds raised over the last fourteen years. Other major recipients include the City of Seal Beach recreation department, police, lifeguards and other Seal Beach and Los Alamitos based non-profits. In general, grant recepients range in awards from $500 to just over $7,500.
Uses are usually for direct equipment costs or improvements to programs for the recipeints. For many groups, like the Los Alamitos booster clubs, the Run provides vital funding to support many of their direct costs.
The Kids 1K Fun Run is capped at 400 runners in order to ensure a quality experience in the Kids Fun Zone throughout the duration of the race. If you want to have your child in the run, be sure to register now and save.
For more information on sponsorship, volunteer opportunities, event registration and general information go to www.RunSealBeach.com and sign up for April 8, 2017. Be sure to join us on race day, as Run Seal Beach will only have more opportunities to give back this year.
–This article appeared in the March 8, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.