There was anticipation building as 394 runners waited for the starting pistol to fire and begin the race by historical homes and colorful painted light poles. Woodland Heights hosted Habitat for Humanity of Springfield’s (HFHS) 10th annual Habitat Home Run 5k/10k/1 mile Fun Run on Aug. 25.
“We accomplished two goals with this event,” said Larry Peterson, executive director of HFHS. “Not only was our community able to explore our incredible partner neighborhood, we raised a lot of money to support future projects.”
Woodland Heights is Habitat’s partner in neighborhood revitalization (NR). NR is an approach to serve more families by responding to community goals with a variety of products, services and partnerships that enable residents to revive their neighborhoods and enhance their quality of life.
The Habitat Home Run does more than get people active. It helps revitalize. All run proceeds will fund neighborhood revitalization efforts in Woodland Heights.
As runners were on the move, they were able to see the impact that residents and volunteers have made in the area. Efforts include:
- Homes painted during four Rock the Block neighborhood cleanup events.
- Freshly landscaped yards through Habitat’s “A Brush with Kindness” program.
- A community garden created in partnership with Reed Academy, Springfield Community Gardens, and Woodland Heights Neighborhood.
Members of JROTC at Hillcrest High School and neighborhood residents came out to cheer on the runners and walkers as they made their way through the shaded streets of Woodland Heights. The rain came just in time to cool off the runners following the awards ceremony.
If you would like to join Habitat for Humanity of Springfield to help revitalize Woodland Heights, contact Kelsey Milholland at 417-829-4001, ext. 116 or kelsey@habitatspringfieldmo.org.