Racin’ New Year’s Eve needs sponsors, entrants

CONWAY — The Faulkner County Day School is holding its fifth annual Racin’ New Year’s Eve 5K run and walk, and the executive director has a goal in mind.

“We’d love to have a $15,000 race, and that depends on how many people step up and participate with us,” Ruth Castleberry said.

The sanctioned event will start at 10 a.m. Dec. 28 at the school’s Milestones facility, 1700 South Blvd. in Conway.

“It’s a level route, and lots of people who are new to running or walking appreciate that,” Castleberry said.

“It is a mapped-out, sanctioned route, so that’s important for folks who try to earn points.”

Castleberry said it’s a race that’s “really good for families or groups to do,” she said.

“We have had daddies pushing their babies in strollers who have won in the past.”

She said the event brings an eclectic mix of runners, including those from other states and countries.

Teresa Little, director of early-childhood services and race co-director, said that’s one of her favorite parts of the day.

“I have enjoyed contacts from people coming to visit family in Arkansas, and we’ve had people from Sweden who were coming to visit their son who was here as an exchange student,” she said. Another participant, also visiting relatives, was from Thailand, she said.

Early registration, until Tuesday, is $20. After that, registration is $25.

“We only guarantee a T-shirt if people register in advance,” Castleberry said.

Also, people can be “sleep walkers” and get a T-shirt only and stay in bed that day, she said.

“The T-shirts are just gorgeous,” she said. T-shirts are available for $15 until Tuesday.

Registration is available online at www.fcds-conway.org, “or if they want to stop by, we’ve got some forms printed out, and they’re welcome to pick up one or a dozen,” Castleberry said.

Sponsorships are still needed, she said, and the deadline for sponsorship is Monday.

“We are always looking for sponsors, so if there’s a business in town that wants to sponsor us, we need to know that by Dec. 2,” she said.

Castleberry said she’s hoping for good weather this year.

“One year, it was 70 degrees, and we had just a tremendous turnout,” she said — about 270 people.

“We’ve seen [race participation] double in size,” Little said.

“Last year, it was 28 degrees,” Castleberry said. “It finally got up to freezing by the time we kicked off. We had about 130 last year. It kind of all depends on the weather.”

The proceeds from the race go to various projects at the day school, she said.

“We are always finding needs that we have,” Castleberry said. “We have been for years expanding our security cameras, both around the building and in our buses, so we’re looking at doing that. We buy specialized therapy equipment for children and adults who have a need for that.”

The Faulkner County Day School serves children with developmental delays and adults with developmental disabilities.

For more information, call the Faulkner County Day School at (501) 329-8102.

Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.

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