Jersey Shore Running Club to host 25th Anniversary Women's 5K

HOLMDEL, N.J. - Aug. 7, 2018 - PRLog -- Nearly five hundred individual women runners and walkers are expected to join together at Holmdel Park on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend to raise funds for and promote awareness of organizations that provide essential services to women and their children in Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Presented by the Jersey Shore Running Club, the twenty-fifth annual Saturday in the Park 5K "Women Taking Steps to Help Women" will be a fun-filled, rain or shine event featuring a Women's 5K Run and Scenic 3-Mile Walk at 9:00am and Children's Races at approximately 10:00am.

Race Day Registration begins at 8:00 am.  All women in the 2018 5K will receive a high quality, women's style wicking v-neck shirt, goody bag and finishers gift; This year all finishers will receive a visor, in a color based on their finish place. Entry fees are $25 before August 28, $30 after August 28 and $5 for Children's Races.  Participants who raise $75 or more in pledges receive free entry.

"We are very excited to be celebrating our 25^th anniversary.  Each year this race supports programs dedicated to providing shelter, counseling, advocacy and education for women and their families in both Monmouth and Ocean counties." said Penny Hinck, Race Director, Jersey Shore Running Club. Past participants of Saturday in the Park have consistently remarked about how they have been touched by the ceremony at the start of the race when the runners and walkers join hands and realize the need for all of us to come together to support these "safe harbors" for women and their families.

"For 2018 our primary beneficiary is Providence House of Catholic Charities in Ocean County," added Hinck. "Proceeds will also be distributed to Monmouth County organizations."   Since its inception, Saturday in the Park has raised over $225,000 and has created greater public awareness of options and services available to women.

The Saturday in the Park event was first staged at Bodman Park in Middletown and was then held at Monmouth University and Brookdale Community College, before finding its home at Holmdel Park in 1999.  For this 25^th year, organizers are extending free entry to any previous-year champion and are reaching out to past participants to see how many years they may have participated, hoping to recognize those who have participated most frequently; contact the race at penny@saturdayinthepark5k.org.

The Saturday in the Park Women's 5K has enjoyed enthusiastic support from many girls' high school and youth athletic teams.  To show our appreciation to these teams and to encourage continued support of SIP and the race's beneficiaries, the race offers two benefits to high school and youth athletic teams.  First, all members of these teams will get the special entry fee of $20 prior to August 28.  Second, awards will be given to the top three teams based on their number of participants; awards will be a contribution to team funds of the three largest teams, based on the number of participants.

Saturday in the Park event past-year sponsors have included:  Monmouth Medical Center Foundation, Friends of the Spring Lake Five, Jersey Shore Grand Prix, Charity House Foundation, JAG Physical Therapy, New Jersey Natural Gas Company, Monmouth County Police Chiefs Association, Assemblyman Sean Kean, Two River Community Bank, Food Circus, Kenney Gross Kovats & Parton, MacGowan Agency, Shore Athletic Club, Waxing the City and Windmill Restaurants.

Members of the race committee have included JSRC members and charity representatives: Jennifer Bauer, Cathy Berth, Mindy Brady, Jim Buckler, Lorraine Buckler, Dawn Ciccone, Barbara Hay, Eileen Higgins, Philip Hinck, Karen Hornberger, Elizabeth Ireland, Luann McGraw, Suzanne Parton, Joanne Sodano and Theresa Veilleux.

The committee will also offer extraordinary prizes thanks to the generosity of the business community, including a grand prize drawing of a women's bicycle, compliments of Diane and Jack Cheer. In addition, there are unique awards for all category winners.  The Mary Conry Memorial Award will be presented to the first JSRC member to finish. Mary was a member of the JSRC and the Saturday in the Park Race Committee.

Sponsorship opportunities and donations for goodie bag items are still available.  All sponsors will receive signage recognition and be highlighted in the event program.   Individuals and companies may contact Penny Hinck, JSRC at (732) 571-2162 or email: penny@saturdayinthepark5k.org.

Jersey Shore Running Club is the largest running club in New Jersey with well over 1,500 members.  Dedicated to both running and to the community, JSRC events support local community and charitable organizations.  The club offers a variety of benefits including a monthly newsletter and an up-to-date website, www.jsrc.org.   The JSRC offers the camaraderie of running with friends through its group runs.  In past years, the club hosted Rundamentals, a beginning running program for women, to help them prepare to participate in the Saturday in the Park as their first 5K.

For more information on Saturday in the Park 5K, contact Penny Hinck at 732-571-2162 or penny@saturdayinthepark5k.org, or visit www.saturdayinthepark5k.org.