On Saturday, April 2, the Residence Life department at AU will host its first Raven Run on AU’s campus at 9:00 a.m.
In the past, Residence Life has used Winter Formal in the fall semester as their way to raise money. “Since our schedule is really heavy in the fall, we decided to reevaluate things and try something new. So we came up with the Raven Run,” said Erinn Bridgman, resident director of Morrison Hall.
Bridgman says that all the residence directors, assistant directors and Assistant Dean of Students, Tamara Shelton will help with running this event. “All the R.A. staff will be involved in either running or helping pull it off,” said Bridgman.
The event will include the option of a 5k and 10k race starting by the football field. The race will work its way around the city of Anderson and end around AU’s courtyard on University Boulevard.
Residence Life is still working out the details of a celebration at the end of the race with the possibility of a live band performance. There will be a place to hang out and celebrate after the event with refreshments and snacks such as coffee, granola bars and water.
Participants will be given a “Raven Run” T-shirt before the race and everyone who finishes will receive a medal. Everyone is allowed to participate in this event. The registration table will open at 8:15 a.m. the day of the event for participants to pick up their shirts.
Early registration, which had a discounted rate of $10, ended on Jan. 31. Regular prices for participants are $25 for adults, $20 for college students, $10 for youth that are 10-17 years of age and free for children under 10. Children under 10 will not receive a T-shirt or medal.
For those who do not want to run but want to volunteer, there is a signup where different organizations or people can help with registration, water tables, and the end of the race celebration.
Bridgman says that Shelton will soon be sending out information campus-wide with about ways to volunteer for the Raven Run. “There’s a bunch of places to volunteer and we’re looking for people to volunteer,” said Bridgman.
The Raven Run will have numerous sponsors like MUGS Coffee, St. Vincent Hospital, Broadway Press and T-shirt companies.
The purpose of this event is to encourage the collaboration of the community around AU’s campus. “A huge part of it is showing that it is not just for students,” said Bridgman.
Money earned from the race will be split between AU’s Residence Life programming and the Hope Pregnancy & Health Center in the city of Anderson. “It’s for a good cause,” said Bridgman.
Hope Pregnancy & Health Center is a non-profit organization that provides assistance to pregnant women. They opened their location in the city of Anderson in the spring of 2015.
You can register now at the regular prices online at www. anderson.edu/campus-life/ravenrun. Registration will end the last week of March.
You can like their Facebook page “Anderson University Residence Life” and follow them on Twitter at @AU_RavenRun for more information and updates leading up to the Raven Run.