Robert Moore
April 27, 2007
Specialty Eye Care America following the course of Imhotep
May 1, 2007
Runners, put on your jogging shoes because the 5K Run for Excellence and Cajun Food Festival is set for May 12 in downtown Houma.
Now in its sixth year, the 5K Run for Excellence benefits the Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence, which awards grants to local teachers. Since its inception, the program has awarded over $328,000 in grants, reaching over 30,000 students, according to TFAE Executive Director Yolanda Trahan.
“The foundation’s purpose it to positively impact academic achievement and to fundamentally improve education for students in the Terrebonne Parish Public School system,” she said. TFAE’s goal is to establish a $2 million endowment. To date, the organization has raised $1.4 million.
The 5K Run for Excellence is a great opportunity for the athletically inclined to strut their stuff, but it’s also an event the whole family can enjoy.
The race attracts runners, walkers, joggers and spectators, and the post-race fest is enjoyed by Cajun food lovers of all speeds.
The Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence is partnering with Terrebonne General Medical Center to host this year’s event. The pairing, TGMC’s President and CEO Phyllis Peoples said, is a great fit.
“This partnership signifies Terrebonne General Medical Center’s commitment to improving health and education in our community,” she said. “This is a way that we can bring more educated people into the medical field.”
By helping to generate more monies to improve teaching locally, Peoples and Trahan agree the foundation is ensuring the region a better-educated workforce in the future.
And the event promotes Terrebonne General Medical Center’s chief mission: Promoting healthy living in the community.
“We are the largest health care provider in the region,” Peoples said. “TGMC strives to keep Houma a positive and healthy place to live and to increase healthcare awareness in the community.”
The 5K Run for Excellence Fun Run/Walk kicks off at 5 p.m. beginning and ending on Main Street. The 5K Run for Excellence start gun sounds at 6 p.m. The race begins and ends in Downtown Houma.
The race is open to walkers, race walkers, joggers, runners and wheelchair participants of all ages and abilities.
Registration is open right up until race day. Check-in begins at 3:30 p.m. near Courthouse Square. The fee is $25 for adults and $15 for students under age 21.
Racers will receive a commemorative T-shirt and all Fun Run participants will receive a recognition award, Trahan said. Trophies in the 5K Run will be given to the first, second and third-place male and female finishers in the running and walking categories. First place awards will be given to Master (40-49) and Grand Masters (50-59) runners and walkers.
Following the race, around 6:30 p.m., over 25 local chefs will prepare delectable delights for Cajun Food Fest-goers. Trahan said the festival features an assortment of cuisine made famous in southeast Louisiana.
The registration cost entitles race participants to lots of great food, cold beverages and live entertainment by The Bucktown All Stars, Trahan said. “The band was here last year and the people enjoyed them so much we asked them back,” she said.
The Kid’s Corner, for children ages 12 and under, will be open from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., and will include arts and crafts, face painting, photos with various mascots and storytelling by Lilipad. Also, the Coteau Volunteer Fire Department will display its new safety fire house, which helps youngsters understand firsthand how to escape a fire.
Non-racers wishing to attend the Cajun Food Fest can purchase a wristband to gain entrance. The cost if $20 for adults, $10 for students ages 13-20, and $5 for children ages 5-12.
To learn more about the event, visit www.5krunforexcellence.org.
