UW-River Falls adds the Glow Run to Homecoming 2014 activity list

This year’s Homecoming will have a brand new event: a Glow Run.

The Glow Run is an after dark fun run for all, complete with glow sticks, bands and tape provided at check-in. Runners who pre-register online and have a non-perishable food item for donation will receive a t-shirt upon completion of the course.

The Glow Run is also a benefit for the local food shelf as organizers are asking all participants to bring non-perishable food items for donation at the event.

The charity run takes place at 9:30 p.m., Oct. 4. The run begins and ends at the Ames/Lydecker fire pit. Assistant Director of Recreations, Tiffany Gaulke said the course is around two miles on campus trails and sidewalks.

“The Glow Run is open to students and the public,” Gaulke said. “It is free for students and just 10 dollars for non-students, and participants will receive a t-shirt and then lots of glow accessories for the run.”

She reports excitedly that over 60 people have registered after only a week from the start of registration.

Diana Hoff, a senior communicative disorder major, is one of the many students registered for the Glow Run.

“I have always really enjoyed running. It was just a fun run, kind of like the color run,” Hoff said. “It’s always fun to run in the dark.”

Hoff went on to say that the charitable aspect is not the only reason she signs up for fun runs.

Liz Edd, a marketing and communication major, has also decided to participate in the run.

“First its free,” Edd said. “I really like the concept of it, like running at night, with all these glowing things and running with my friends. I also like to do things for charity, I always try to do my best and volunteer for charity.”

When asked if he thought the run would be a success, Paul Shepherd, director of Student Life said: “Runs such as this are starting to become pretty popular where you see people participating in fun runs, really felt like for Homecoming we wanted to do something unique that was at night and so this is what recreation and sports came up with.”

Shepherd also spoke of adding more fun events such as the Glow Run because it is a positive way to celebrate Homecoming. Many charities use fun runs for fund raising. Walking and running for charity is a recent development in fundraising methods. In 1969, a few hundred marchers in Bismarck, North Dakota, raised $25,000 for famine victims using the walk for charity model and started a trend in fund raising.

The CROP Hunger Walk was the beginning of a new way to raise awareness for charitable causes and make a difference in the quality of lives for many.

The American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP), now named Charity Watch, evaluates charities and charity events such as the Glow Run. AIP critiqued a special event called (Mis)Understanding Special Events.

“Charities use annual walk-a-thons, dinners, and other special events as a way to raise awareness for a charity and its cause. Getting donors involved and excited about an event may have the positive, if not easily quantifiable, effect of building donor loyalty and encouraging future contributions to the charity,” according to the AIP.

Anne Kadet is currently writing “Are Charity Walks and Races Worth the Effort for Smart Money.”

“In the past five years, a period when many nonprofits saw contributions drop, ‘thon’ revenue grew 13 percent, and participation grew even more,” Kadet said.

The Glow Run, as a fundraiser, spotlights hunger in River Falls and the counties surrounding the town. Gaulke hopes this run will become a new tradition at Homecoming.

This Homecoming event will be an additional fun activity this year for students and others. Pre-registration is required online at UWRF Marketplace for those who want to participate.

If anyone has questions concerning the run they may contact Campus Recreation online at campusrec@uwrf.edumail.