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Community Corner

Up This Weekend: Run By The River

The race benefits Phoenixville's Good Samaritan Shelter.

Whether you are a distance runner seeking a personal best or a sidewalk stroller looking to enjoy a pleasant walk on a spring day, Good Samaritan Shelter hopes you will join more than 100 other participants for Saturday’s third annual Run by the River.

The event, which benefits Good Samaritan’s many programs to assist Phoenixville’s homeless, offers both a 5K course along the Schuylkill River Trail for runners, as well as a shorter one-mile course for those who prefer to walk.

“The run is a chance for people to give back to the community,” said race director Scott Shellhamer, also a volunteer for Good Samaritan Shelter. “It builds recognition for the charity and it’s such a fun event. You see kids, people with their dogs, even people pushing baby strollers running or walking the course.”

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Good Samaritan Development Assistant Dan Lamson noted that the event is one of the most important fundraisers of the year for the shelter, which hopes to raise about $4,000 from the race.

“This year's run is shaping up to be the best yet,” Lamson said. “We have twice as many people pre-registered as last year and are expecting a huge crowd on the 14th."

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Run by the River is supported by a number of sponsors including Internet Capital Group, Kimberton Whole Foods and Wegmans. Also contributing to the race’s success are the staff and board of Good Samaritan, particularly board member Sarah Hackman.

Originally founded to serve homeless men, Good Samaritan has recently expanded its services to women with or without children at a shelter in Ephrata, which can accommodate up to eight women and 16 children.

Good Samaritan is unique in the holistic approach it takes, providing its clients not only with food and a place to live, but also helping them understand what led to their circumstances and giving them tools to overcome the challenges they face.

Shellhamer, for example, mentors men at the shelter and helps them develop financial skills. Good Samaritan “goes above and beyond what you would expect of a shelter,” he said. “I’m proud to be associated with them.”

What you need to know:  Run by the River will be held on Sat., May 14, rain or shine, beginning at Longford Park at the on the Schuylkill River Trail. The cost to participate is $25 per person (which includes a T-shirt while supplies last). Registration begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning and the run begins at 9 a.m. Awards will be presented immediately after the run and results will be available on www.pretzelcitysports.com one to two days after the race.

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