Join Girls on the Run for Superhero 5k event at Hudson Mills! Sunday, October 23rd

Superheroes unite! The fourth annual Superhero 5k presented by IHA Child Health-WestArbor is Sunday, October 23rd at Hudson Mills Metropark in Dexter! This festive event is a fundraiser for the Girls on the Run of Southeastern Michigan scholarship program. Girls on the Run of Southeastern Michigan is a local nonprofit organization that leads a ten-week curriculum-based program for girls in 3rd – 8th grades, inspiring girls to be joyful, healthy and confident.

The Superhero 5k consists of a 1-mile and 5k run/walk along the park’s trails. All 1 mile and 5k finishers receive a multicolored Superhero 5k medal and the male and female top finishers of the 5k run will receive a gift certificate for a pair of running shoes from Ann Arbor Running Company! The Kids’ Dash (children 5 and under) is a short loop (~.25 mile) and all finishers receive a Superhero toy duck. Registration for all events include a custom bib, awesome event shirt (size selection guaranteed for participants who registered before September 23rd) and a small kit of Lego Friends toys.

Don’t forget your cape! There are over 20 prizes from local businesses for winners of the costume contest. Add in free Superhero crafts and a terrific playground near the start/finish and the Superhero 5k is an afternoon filled with fun activities for the whole family!

“My son Blake (5) has always said he wanted to run a race with me,” said 2015 Superhero 5k participant Nancy Jerome. “Both my sons, Blake and Devin, have asthma so I wasn’t sure how they would do, but the minute Blake crossed the starting pad he was out on the course like Dash from “The Incredibles!” He was so determined and I was so proud of him! Blake was so happy to have finished his first race and receive his first medal. The excitement of the Superhero theme was a huge bonus for him since he was able to run as his favorite superhero, Captain America!”

The actual cost for Girls on the Run of the Southeastern Michigan to deliver their 10-week life-changing program is approximately $215 per girl. In 2016 the council subsidized all 1,882 of their participants’ registration fees and provided additional financial aid to 543 families in need. The Superhero 5k and its’ online fundraising drive serve as critical campaigns in achieving our goal of serving all the girls in our community. Girls on the Run of Southeastern Michigan serves five counties: Washtenaw, Livingston, Lenawee, Monroe, and Jackson.

“Without question, my partners and I encourage healthy, physical activity for our young patients and want to partner with groups such as Girls on the Run which shares our desire to promote positive self-esteem among young girls,” states pediatrician Jamie Thompson, MD. “Therefore, deciding to have IHA Child Health-WestArbor serve as this year’s presenting sponsor, was a natural fit for us. We look forward to making this year’s Superhero 5k their biggest yet!”

Be a hero for the girls in our community! Register for the Superhero 5k, presented by IHA Child Health-WestArbor or make a donation to Girls on the Run of Southeastern Michigan at www.superhero5kdexter.com