Southland Park Gaming and Racing has signed on as Title Sponsor, and the West Memphis Advertising and Promotion Commission will be the Presenting Sponsor for Mid-South Community College’s Greyhound 5K Run/Walk.
“We intend to make this a premier event in the Mid-South, and the phenomenal commitments made by Southland Park and the Advertising and Promotion Commission have paved the way for a first-rate production,” said Jason Carmichael, MSCC Athletic Director.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to work closely with our two generous partners and greatly appreciate their willingness to invest in this major event.”
Troy Keeping, Southland Park Gaming and Racing President and General Manager, said support of the race fits well with the business’ commitment to the college and the community.
“We’re 100 percent engaged in our community, and we’re excited to put our name behind what we know will be a successful event,” Keeping said. “Southland was the catalyst behind MSCC’s athletic program, so it only makes sense, especially for this inaugural event, that we participate as a signature sponsor to help get it off the ground with a bang.”
“We have always invested in the future of Mid-South Community College, and our sponsorship of the Greyhound 5K just continues our long-standing relationship.”
Sarah Beth Christian of the West Memphis Advertising and Promotion Commission said the organization’s support of the event fits perfectly with its mission.
“We’re always looking for ways to increase awareness of what West Memphis has to offer, and we are proud to lend our support to an event that will draw people from throughout the region,” Christian said. “The Greyhound 5K is a great opportunity to showcase our community and the college, and we’re excited about the chance to put our best foot forward through this event.”
MSCC, in collaboration with Start 2 Finish Event Management of Memphis, will host the first Greyhound 5K on Saturday, Oct. 6. The race is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., but the festivities will continue throughout the day. Proceeds from the event will go toward MSCC’s Athletic Booster Club.
The 3.1-mile walk-run will start and finish on the Mid-South campus in West Memphis and is expected to draw hundreds of participants, from serious runners to families with strollers.
“We see the Greyhound 5K as an activity that will bring positive attention to Crittenden County and something that will be good for the college to promote and publicize our athletic program,” Carmichael said.
“We’re expecting some serious runners as well as some people who have probably never put on a pair of running shoes. The weather in October should be ideal for everything we have planned, and we’re looking forward to reaching out to people in Eastern Arkansas, Western Tennessee, and Northwest Mississippi.”
Start 2 Finish, one of the premier health-oriented event management companies in the region, will manage and chip time the run. S2F will provide top-of-the-line technology including touch-screen kiosks so participants can look up their time at the end of the race, live video feed of the finish line activities, and flat-screen TV monitors scrolling up-to-the-minute race times to make the Greyhound 5K a first-rate event.
Children’s activities and a post-race celebration are also in the planning stages, as are random drawings for prizes. Carmichael said a 400-meter “Pup Dash” for younger kids has been penciled into the schedule, and an inflatables playground is in the works as well.
Post-race events will include music, food, and displays by local vendors who will display products/services.
“Our goal is to make it a great event for the whole family, and we’re hoping to create a quality environment for everyone who participates,” he explained. Registration fee for the run is $20 through Sunday, Sept. 30, $25 between Oct. 1 and Oct. 5, and $30 the day of the race. Online and mail-in registration options are available at greyhound5k.racesonline.com. All entrants will receive a Greyhound 5K T-shirt.
Mail-in registration forms must be postmarked by Sept. 29, 2012. Participants who select this option will need to fill out their information online, print the application, and send it in with their check. Online signup, which includes electronic payment options, closes at midnight on October 4.
To monitor and receive updates about the event, runners can go to http://www.facebook.com/greyhound5k and click on “Like.”
Area businesses interested in joining the effort still have the opportunity to become sponsors at various investment levels.
Platinum Sponsorships, available for $3,000, entitle the purchaser to a logo on the back of official event T-shirts, on the finish line banner, and at a water station; recognition in all event promotional materials such as press releases, website, fliers, brochures, and posters; and event-day recognition with logo on race signage and marketing materials in run/walk registration bags.
Gold Sponsors ($1,000) will have their names included on the back of the Tshirts; name and/or logo prominently displayed at a water station on signage (signage provided by sponsor); recognition in all event promotional materials such as news releases, website, fliers, brochures, and posters, and race-day recognition on race day with logo on signage and marketing materials in the run/walk registration bags.
Silver Sponsors ($500) will have their names on the T-shirts and will be recognized in promotional materials.
Additional ways to participate include donations of breakfast foods and drinks including bagels, muffins, fruit, water, energy drinks, and more, and donations of prizes and/or gift certificates for drawings.
As many as 60 volunteers are also needed to help with the event.
For additional information about the Greyhound 5K, call Race Coordinator Erin Carmichael at (901) 626-4088 or email her at ekcarmichael@midsouthcc.edu.
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