It was a day of firsts. It was the first time a 5k/10k course was run entirely north of Commercial Street. It was the first time many of the runners and walkers had ever been to Lafayette Park. As far as first impressions go, Woodland Heights hit a home run by hosting the 9th annual Habitat Home Run 5k/10k/1 mile Fun Fun on Aug. 26.
“This was a great opportunity to introduce a lot of folks to our focus neighborhood, Woodland Heights,” said Habitat’s executive director Larry Peterson. “Visitors saw challenges that the community faces. But they also saw beauty and potential.”
Woodland Heights is the home of Habitat’s newest program, 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 is the official race of the Price Cutter Charity Championship, which benefits 40-plus charities, including Habitat for Humanity of Springfield (HFHS). Habitat’s share of the proceeds will go to neighborhood revitalization activities in Woodland Heights.
With the change of course, runners saw the direct impact of our community’s volunteers and donors as race participants run by homes that have already been revitalized. Current efforts include:
- Homes that have been painted during two Rock the Block neighborhood cleanup events.
- Freshly landscaped yards through partnership with Habitat’s “A Brush with Kindness” program
- A community garden created in partnership with Reed Academy, Springfield Community Gardens, and Woodland Heights Neighborhood
- Charlie Norr Community Center located next to Lafayette Park.
Nearly 300 runners and walkers explored the mostly flat and shaded streets of Woodland Heights. Members of the JROTC at Hillcrest High School and football players from Reed Middle School came out in force to cheer. The Woodland Heights Neighborhood Association worked a water station. Springfield Fire Department sent three of their finest firefighters, who became favorite targets in the water balloon fight that immediately followed the awards ceremony.
The whole experience was a first for Kimmie G., who signed up for the one-mile race but decided to keep going on the 5k course.
“Thank you for everything,” said Kimmie. “It was so fun, thank you to all the volunteers, thank you to the encouragers! And thank you for all the goodies, and for the food afterwards, and the massage, I was so impressed by everything. I have never done anything like this before, and I loved it; quite inspirational.”
Only one person can be first in a race. But every runner and walker at the Habitat Home Run was part of something bigger than coming in first – helping an entire neighborhood win.