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It’s once again time for Pleasanton residents to get their running shoes and spooky costumes ready as the Rotary Club of Pleasanton gets set to host its 30th annual Halloween Spirit Run later this month.
According to Rotary treasurer Kathleen Alameda, the popular downtown community event, which raises money toward funding student scholarships, is already expected to see over 800 total participants this year.
“We expect 750 entries for the 5K/10K and 75 for the kids’ challenge,” Alameda said.
The race, which begins at 8 a.m. next Sunday (Oct. 22), will start and end in front of Workbench True Value Hardware at 652 Main St.. Participants can choose to either run or walk the 5K or 10K routes, which will go through downtown Pleasanton and the surrounding residential neighborhoods.
There will also be a kids’ challenge on Main Street at 9:30 a.m. for ages 2 to 8 where they will receive a race T-shirt, goody bag and medal. Age group awards and a raffle will also be held at 10 a.m.
But the kids won’t be the only ones receiving medals this year because for the first time, the organization will be handing out participation medals to all the runners to commemorate the event’s 30th anniversary.
The first 750 participants in the 5K or 10K will also receive a long-sleeved T-shirt and a finisher’s medal.
Steve Van Dorn, president of the Rotary Club of Pleasanton, told the Weekly that it is especially important to celebrate the race this year as it has been the organization’s largest annual fundraiser having awarded over $1 million in community grants and scholarships to those in need up until now.
“Now in its 30 year, the Halloween Spirit run proceeds allow the Rotary Club of Pleasanton to provide scholarships to our disadvantaged youth, grants to our awesome nonprofits, wheelchairs worldwide to those that have no means to acquire one and funding for clean water and sanitation systems for children,” he said.
Residents can pre-register online and in-person by visiting spiritrun.pleasantonrotary.org or going to Fleet Feet Pleasanton, located at at 234 Main St., on Oct. 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Pre-registration is available through next Friday (Oct. 20), but participants can also register the day of the race from 6:30-7:45 a.m. in the parking lot adjacent to Workbench.