Events
Student 5k (ages 14-18)
Student 9.88k (ages 14-18)
Place
1400 West 23rd Street
Hazleton, PA US 18202
Description
In the United States, a person dies by suicide every 12.3 minutes. That is 132 people per day and half a million people per year. Luzerne County made up 66 of those deaths in 2023. It is also the leading cause of death among young people aged 10-24.
To address some of these statistics, the Friends of Rachel Club is excited to announce our first-ever Suicide Prevention and Awareness Race. This event is a pivotal part of our mission to raise awareness about suicide prevention, promote mental health, and foster a supportive community for those affected by suicide.
We are currently offering a 9.88K (in reference to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline number), 5K, 1 Mile Memory Walk/Run and Kid’s Fun Run. [If you can't make the actual event but still want to be a part of the fun and help support us, you can run a virtual 9.88K or 5K anywhere you are and you will receive the same shirt as if you were running with us! *Please note that there are no awards or results for the virtual races, just the satisfaction of running for a good cause - and of course the awesome t-shirt you will receive for completing your run.]
We invite everyone – runners, walkers, families, friends, and community members to participate and make a positive impact! Get involved in whatever way is meaningful to you. Register as an individual, start a team with your friends and family or join us as a supporter of our runners and/or loss survivors.
Join with us after the run for food trucks, tricky trays, kids’ activities and our Light the Night Luminaria Ceremony after the race, where we provide an important sense of community for suicide loss survivors and mental health advocates and create a space for us to remember loved ones lost to suicide.
All proceeds will benefit the Friends of Rachel Club’s mental health and suicide prevention efforts within the Hazleton Area School District.
Get ready to lace up your shoes and make a difference!
Event Information
Packets will be available for pick up at the Hazleton Area High School Track & Field on race day. You can also register in person at the Registration Tent up until the race start! Time: TBD
We will have Water Stations and Porta Potties Onsite
Awards will be presented to the top 3 male and female finishers overall and the top three in each of the following male and female age groups: 14-18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+. Awards will be handed out directly after the conclusion of the 9.88K and 5K races.
[The 9.88K and 5K will be professionally timed and scored by Second Wind Racing. The race will be timed using disposable, electronic tags attached to the bib number. Please wear your bib number to the front, pinned at all four corners, visible, and unaltered. Printed results will be posted at the race site and live online during the race. The fun run will not be timed.]
Event Timeline
4:30p - Gates Open / Registration Opens / Packet Pickup
6:00p - Welcome / Opening Remarks
6:30p - Guest Speaker
6:50p - Kid's Fun Run
7:15p - 5K and 9.88K Runners Released / Memory Mile/Family Walk
8:15p - 5K and 9.88K Awards Ceremonies
***Light the Night Luminaria Ceremony immediately following
Donation Information
We are currently accepting direct donations!
All proceeds will benefit the Friends of Rachel Club’s mental health and suicide prevention efforts within the Hazleton Area School District.
Checks can be made payable to the Friends of Rachel Club and sent to the following address:
Attn: Corinne Gerhart
Friends of Rachel Club
1601 W. 23rd Street
Hazle Township, PA 18202
We will also be accepting cash donations during the day of the event.
Race Contact Info
If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.
