By Anja Rosales
Reporter
The Baylor chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity will hold their third annual Race One 5K at 8 a.m. Saturday at Jubilee Park with a fun run following at 8:45 a.m.
Alpha Tau Omega teamed with Mission Waco for the first time two years ago to hold a charity 5K and has continued the race since.
Fort Collins, Colo., senior Scott Uhlrich is the Race One Coordinator for Alpha Tau Omega and initiated the first 5K back in 2012.
“There weren’t many charity 5Ks around,” Uhlrich said. “Mission Waco is an awesome organization so we really wanted to work with them on this project.”
According to its website, Mission Waco is a nonprofit, volunteer based organization that helps empower the poor.
Kathy Wise is the assistant director for Mission Waco and is the key staff member for the 5K. After graduating from Baylor as an undergraduate, Wise attended Truett Seminary and graduated in 1999, where she immediately began working for Mission Waco.
“It’s real unique for a race in Waco,” Wise said. “To have a race that’s very diverse in terms of race, age, gender and economic background isn’t that common.”
The 5K costs $15 and the fun run costs $10, but Uhlrich said they encourage anyone who is physically able to come out and participate in the event.
“We not only recruit Baylor students,” Uhlrich said. “We have homeless and impoverished people who run for free.”
Wise said the race is open to the Baylor community as well as the general community in Waco. Wise said no matter what background you come from, it is important to be active in the cause.
“This race not only raises money, but also promotes community and health,” Wise said.
According to Mission Waco’s website, Race One helps bring people together from all areas of Waco in a neighborhood that has a history of being abandoned and overlooked.
The website states the history of this neighborhood and said it was one of the first suburbs of downtown Waco, but as time passed, the city grew and shifted to the west and racial differences and poverty divided the city.
“It’s a fun mix of Baylor students and elementary students along with the general public,” Wise said. “Part of this race is to promote community and I think it does a great job of that.”
Uhlrich said the event has gotten bigger each year. The first year had 230 participants and the following year had a total of 370 participants.
Although registration has closed, race day registration will be available.
“There has been a large number of participants who have already registered,” Uhlrich said. “We expect to have about 450 participants this year.”
