Springdale’s 6 week Team Challenge ended on May 6th with the annual Center 5k Walk/Run/Relay. Teams of students and staff ran or walked the whole course, or completed a half-mile segment in a relay.

“One loop around the center is half a mile,” explained Wellness Manager Jessica Anderson. “Volunteers write encouraging messages in chalk on the course and others are stationed along the route to show the participants which way to go.”

“We wanted to encourage students to sign up, so we offered a variety of ways to participate,” continued Jessica. “There were walkers, runners, some people walked the whole course, others ran a part of the course. Some people have been running a long time; other people are just starting out. Our goal was to make everyone feel welcome.”

For the first time, students from PIVOT came over to Springdale to take part in the 5k. About 15 young women formed teams to walk the course. Tyna Moreschi, PIVOT Site Director, encouraged students to run, but they were focused on walking. “I think they weren’t sure how they’d do running,” she said. “They had a lot of fun and we were so happy to come out.”

Not only did students run and walk, they also volunteered as time keepers, water crew, and course monitors. Between runners, walkers, and volunteers, nearly 100 people came out to enjoy the sunny skies and get some exercise. Water and other healthy snacks were on hand to help the completers replenish their depleted energy resources. Awards were given for fastest male student and fastest female student with the fastest overall team receiving a trophy designed and built by the Auto Body Repair students.

Student Aveonna Carney won fastest female student. “It was so much fun,” she said. “I ran the whole thing and everyone was cheering me on. It was great.”