BENTONVILLE -- Kids and adults are preparing to run to benefit the Bentonville School District.
The annual Gold Rush 5k and Fun Run is set for Friday. The fun run begins at 6 p.m. and the 5-kilometer race begins at 6:30 p.m. from downtown Bentonville.
Sunday is the last day to register online through www.goldrush5k.com. Late registration may be done 4-7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at the School District's administration office at 500 Tiger Blvd.
The cost through Sunday is $20 for the fun run and the 5-kilometer race. Late registrants will pay $30 for the 5-kilometer race.
Proceeds from the races go to the Bentonville Schools Foundation.
Last year's Gold Rush was canceled because of weather. That may have had an impact on this year's registration total, which is behind what it normally is at this point, Osborne said. The number of registrants was about 2,400 as of last week.
Unlike in the past, this year the foundation plans to offer a make-up date if rain washes out the event again, Osborne said.
About $57,865 was raised from last year's Gold Rush, even though it was canceled, according to the foundation's annual report. The money goes to support school projects and programs and grants for teachers.
"We're estimating when it's all said and done this year we will have distributed close to $230,000 directly to programs that support the kids and innovative programs and learning opportunities in the schools," Osborne said. "So if we weren't here to do that, those are opportunities that get missed, because they're not the kinds of things the district is in a position to fund."
NW News on 04/21/2018