Runners participate in the McCordsville Path to Fitness 5K in August 2018.
Daily Reporter file photo
McCORDSVILLE — A 5-kilometer run/walk coming up later this month showcases one of McCordsville’s outdoor amenities while raising funds for more.
The eighth annual McCordsville Path to Fitness 5K starts at 8 a.m. Aug. 13 at the Hancock County Wellness Center, 8505 N. Clearview Drive, McCordsville.
From the starting line at the wellness center, the 5-kilometer loop takes participants around the Villages at Brookside and then up the multi-use path along Mt. Comfort Road near the Bay Creek neighborhood before circling back down to the finish line.
Tonya Galbraith, who served as McCordsville town manager for 17 years before retiring in April, and is helping to organize the 5K, recalled how the event was named Path to Fitness to spread awareness about the multi-use path that had been recently completed along Mt. Comfort Road.
“We want people to appreciate that we are trying to have paths through town, that we’re trying to connect our community,” Galbraith said. “And it’s a good way to show off what we have, and hopefully rattle change over time, because we’ll have more connections, we’ll be able to have a different route.”
The event also serves as a fundraiser for the Building a Brighter McCordsville fund, which is used for park-related amenities. Housed through the Hancock County Community Foundation, the fund has backed projects like a swing for disabled children at Old School Park and several additions to Town Hall Park, including a grill, bench and WiFi.
“Each year we try to look at what our needs are,” Galbraith said.
The Path to Fitness typically draws about 100 to 125 participants and a slew of sponsors, she added.
“They’re called community events for a reason, and that’s to get people to come out and to recognize that their town is trying to do things for them to help them health-wise, as well as to show things off and showcase a little bit,” she said.
Tim Gropp, who started as McCordsville town manager in April, said he’s enjoyed learning about the Building a Brighter McCordsville fund.
“As McCordsville continues to grow, and we start getting larger, we can utilize that fund for dedicated park improvements and events,” Gropp said. “It’s great to have an already established community foundation and sub-account for parks in McCordsville. I see us using that more and more in the future.”
He agrees with his predecessor about the significance of offering activities in town.
“I think engaging the public and having events year-round is very important for the vitality of the community,” he said. “People like to have things to do. You build all these assets in a community — whether it’s trails, parks, green spaces, amphitheaters — you want them to be utilized, so I think it’s very important to have events like this. I think this one’s nice because it’s focused on engaging the public to be healthy, promoting to get them out and active.”
Registration runs through Aug. 11 and can be completed at bit.ly/3ByrxSD. The cost is $20 for the 5K. A 1-mile option is available for $10. Participants 13 and younger are free for both options.
Keep up with information on the event at the McCordsville Path to Fitness 5K Facebook page.
