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Home > Archive > Apr 24, 2008

Giving Special Olympics a Running Start
By Cami Cox
Staff Writer
The St. George Police Department and local business Castle Rock Multisports are teaming up to benefit some very special Olympians on April 26.
For many years, the SGPD has hosted fundraisers to support the Special Olympics in Utah, and this year, they've decided to encourage health and fitness among local residents as they simultaneously raise money for the Special Olympics.
“It's a great cause to come out for,” organizer Doug McCoy, of Castle Rock Multisports, said. “It is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the St. George area on a great course that just follows the river area there. It's such a pretty place to go – a great chance to get out with family.”
The SGPD and Castle Rock are hosting a one-mile fun run, a 5K and a 10K to raise money for the Special Olympics; 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit local Special Olympians, helping them pay for equipment and other expenses associated with competing.
The fun run, 5K and 10K will begin at 9 a.m. and will utilize the local trail system, setting off from the Confluence Trailhead near the Dixie Convention Center.
The mission of the event, which McCoy and SGPD officer Jeremy Needles hope will become an annual fundraiser, is twofold. In addition to supporting the Special Olympics, the event is also designed to inspire local residents to greater health and fitness efforts.
“It's all about exceeding what you thought you were capable of doing and, in the process, creating a healthy lifestyle for yourself by changing your whole frame of reference,” McCoy said. “This is such a great area for that. St. George City really promotes that type of outdoor lifestyle, and the St. George Police Department are probably some of the healthiest people around, in terms of setting that standard for what they expect for health, so it seems to just flow right into doing something like this.”
There will be several Special Olympians at the fun run, 5K and 10K, who will be utilizing the occasion to train for their Special Olympics events. Anyone who feels they're not up for the challenge of running or exercising will be inspired by the efforts of the Special Olympians, McCoy said.
“You watch some of these kids and what they're doing, and all of a sudden the issue’s about 'I don't think I can run a mile. I don't think I can do a 5K' – the barriers don't seem as significant to try to get over,” he said.
McCoy said individuals of all ages and fitness levels are encouraged to participate in the fundraising events. They're a great way to get outdoors and get a start on fitness, he said; those who are already athletically inclined will have a great running and training opportunity, and those who are only able to do a little bit can set higher goals for themselves for next year's event.
“You've got to start somewhere. Might as well start on a beautiful April day,” Needles said.
“Walkers are encouraged,” McCoy added. “A lot of times, people see 'run' and they assume that it is for more runner-oriented individuals. It's a walker-friendly event. We encourage walkers to get out there. We encourage families to come out.”
Every year, a Special Olympics torch run is hosted in St. George, and SGPD officers run alongside the local Special Olympians as they carry the torch through town. A check for the proceeds raised by the fun run, 5K and 10K events will be presented to Special Olympics representatives at that time. This year's torch run will take place May 7 at 5 p.m. and will begin at Smith's Food & Drug on Bluff Street and conclude at the Vernon Worthen Park, 400 East and 300 South in St. George.
McCoy and Needles are seeking sponsorships from local businesses for their running event, and several have already stepped forward. The DeChambeau Foundation, a local family foundation that supports kids' programs, has come forward as a matching donor and will match every dollar raised by the event, McCoy said.
“Your $15 5K contribution turns into a $30 contribution,” he said.
“Come participate. Come have fun,” Needles added.
The fun run, 5K and 10K events will begin at 9 a.m. at the Dixie Convention Center, 1835 S. Convention Center Dr. in St. George. The cost is $10 for the fun run, $15 for the 5K and $20 for the 10K. The fee is tax deductible, McCoy said, and participants will receive an event T-shirt and a race bag. Awards will also be given for the 5K and 10K events, which will be timed races.
Pre-registration is strongly encouraged, McCoy said, though runners who sign up the day of the event can also participate. Participants can register online at www.active.com (enter “Utah Special Olympics Torch Run” into the search bar to find the event), and information and a registration link can also be found at www.castlerockmultisports.com.
For more information about the event or to contribute or become a volunteer, call Doug McCoy at (775) 722-9238 or e-mail him at dmccoy@castlerockmultisports.com. Information can also be obtained by contacting Jeremy Needles at 669-9208.

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