AMHERST — More than 1,000 runners are expected to arrive in downtown Amherst Sunday morning to participate in the Daffodil Run, which has become one of the major fundraisers for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County.
“This is a familiar event to the community, and we’re always really honored when people mention it and embrace it,” says Jennifer Loebel, the development director for the organization.
The race, which will begin at 10 a.m., will include a brief closure of North Pleasant Street between Kendrick Park and Main Street as participants set off on either a 5k run and walk or the 10k run, with all traversing neighborhoods near downtown.
Last year, the Daffodil Run raised nearly $60,000. Loebel said the hope is this year’s can bring in $65,000 to provide more mentoring support for youth in the area community, including children in families of immigrants, in single-parent households and who live in shelters.
A program of the Center for Huiman Development, Big Brothers Big Sisters helps close to 200 children annually by providing adult mentors. Yet nearly 199 children are on a waiting list to be matched with a mentor.
Race participants are invited to arrive early on April 29 to enjoy free coffee from Esselon, as well as a pre-race warm up by employees from 50/50 Fitness/Nutrition.
This year, the event will continue to have a post-race barbecue for those who sign up, with The Pub restaurant preparing that meal, but will also have food for those who aren’t running. Loebel said she is encouraging people to drop by to get food from vendors including Bueno y Sano, which will have burrito bowls, and ice cream from Flayvors of Cook Farm.
“It’s really going to be two events in one, the walk and the run, and the activities at Kendrick Park, which have grown,” Loebel said.
There will be a bounce house for young children, and games such as tug-of-war and corn hole, hula hooping with Hoop Joy, and live music.
Though plants and trees have been late to bloom with the continued cold and wet weather, Loebel said the hope is that the daffodils that give the race its name, which have been planted at Kendrick and Sweetser parks in downtown and in other locations, will present themselves by race day.
Runners and walkers can register online until Monday at RaceWire.com, or visit www.chd.org/DaffodilRun. Race day registration at Kendrick Park begins at 8 a.m.
Prizes will be award to the first, second and third place runners in each gender category, as well as the top runner from each age category.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.