Event benefits FHS, Polk Central running club
“Come Run, Walk, or Eat!” is the slogan for second annual Derby Dash 5K and Fun Walk, scheduled for Saturday, May 19. Last year’s event attracted more than 200 participants and raised more than $1,000 to benefit the Foothills Humane Society in Columbus and Go Girls, a running club at Polk Central Elementary in Mill Spring.
The timed 5K race will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Derbyshire, a development located at 400 Landrum Road in Columbus, and will take participants through the community and onto the surrounding equestrian trails, providing a challenging cross-country course. Awards will be presented to the top overall male and female, as well as the top male and female finisher in each age category.
The one-mile fun walk/run will begin immediately after the 5K start and will follow a path around the private 33-acre lake. Strollers and well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome on the walk. All members of Go Girls, a running club for fourth and fifth graders at Polk Central Elementary, will participate free of charge and will receive a certificate during the awards ceremony.
A full breakfast will be served from 8:30-10:30 a.m. The meal will be provided by Good Life Catering of Greenville, S.C., and will include quiche, bacon, sausage, biscuits with gravy or jelly, cheese grits, fruit salad and beverages.
Breakfast is included in the event’s registration fee, and additional breakfast tickets are available for purchase. There will be a limited number of tickets available on the day of the event, so everyone is encouraged to plan ahead and pre-purchase tickets.
In additional to the race and breakfast, the Foothills Humane Society’s “on the road crew” will be on hand with several dogs that are available for adoption. A DJ will provide entertainment throughout the morning.
The event, which is presented by Derbyshire, is open to individuals of all ages. To register, visit www.DerbyDash5K.com, call Jennifer Dennis at 828-863-2660 or email info@DerbyDash5K.com. Registration fees include breakfast and a T-shirt.
The Derby Dash 5K and Fun Walk team is also seeking volunteers to help with registration, parking, course assistance and other duties on the day of the race.
– article submitted  by Jennifer Dennis