Water Tower 10K runs for fun, raises funds for reading
Saturday, Oct. 12 seems like a nice day for a run with about 500 of your closest (or soon to be closest) friends. You’ll have company as you traverse about 6.2 miles, also known as 10 kilometers, of Hernando city streets with people cheering you on.
What might urge you on even more is the knowledge there’s a party waiting for you at the end with all kinds of food and beverage as you relate to the others about your morning run. And, you have the chance to win door prizes as part of the post-race celebration.
The description has been a successful one for the annual Water Tower 10K, presented by Hollywood Casino and 1st Jackpot Casino of Tunica.
“Without their support we could really not put this event on. They have been the presenting sponsor for a number of years and we really appreciate them,” said Gia Matheny, race organizer and City Community Development Director.
There will be winners for men, for women, for boys and girls, and in several groups. But, the even bigger winners from the run are the Hernando Excel By 5 program and its Dolly Parton Imagination Library. All proceeds from the race go into the program, which the race has supported for several years.
With the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, Hernando youngsters under the age of five may sign up for the program, which will then send a free book each month to the youngster until he or she reaches five years of age. More information on the program is found on the City of Hernando website.
“We now have 650 children registered in the city limits of Hernando and close to 700 have graduated in the last year,” Matheny said about the program. “What we have found is that children who read and receive books as their first sort of enjoyment, it gets them to really understand and learn that reading is fun and they learn to read by the time they get to kindergarten, or get very close to it.”
The race will start at 8 a.m. with a starting point behind the Hernando City Hall and it will end on Elm Street behind the city’s Police Department.
Matheny said when she first became involved in the Water Tower 10K, less than 100 runners took part. Now, she says it averages about 500 or more who leave the starting line each second Saturday in October.
It’s a race that attracts many running enthusiasts to Hernando each year. It is one of the few races in the Mid-South of a 10-kilometer length and it’s a good warmup for the St. Jude Marathon, which this year will take place on Dec. 7.
“It started as a 10K run to attract runners who had a health focus, because at the time we were, and still are, having a big push to be a Healthy City and improve the health of our city,” Matheny noted. “So we wanted to do something different and we hosted the 10K race.”
She added the course is also attractive to runners because of a somewhat unique challenge it presents.
“It’s also a hilly course and long distance runners really like that,” Matheny said. “It’s very different from what they’re used to running in this area.”
This year’s race will be followed by the after-race party, sponsored by C Spire, and will take place on Panola Street off the Courthouse Square.
“We have a lot of community support, they come out and cheer on the runners,” Matheny noted. Then we have the big party at the end and the Farmers Market is going on, as well as the DeSoto Arts Council Fall Festival.”
By their participation in the race, runners will receive a T-shirt, a goodie bag, lunch and all, and they get an entry ticket for the door prizes.
There are ways to participate and support the program without lacing up the shoes. You can head to the sign up page and become a Spirit Runner, which will entitle you to a shirt, goodie bag, and everything the runners will get and be a part of.
If you prefer to not be a part of the race, but still support the Hernando Excel By 5 Dolly Parton Imagination Library, you may still donate to the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi. That’s where a fund is held and as a non-profit organization, all donations are tax-deductible.”
The website to sign up for the race is: https://runsignup.com/Race/MS/Hernando/HernandoWaterTower10K
To volunteer, call Gia Matheny at 662-449-9127.
Matheny adds there is a discounted fee for DeSoto County runners under age 19 who want to run in the race and those who’d like to find out more may also call Matheny for more information.
