Children participating in Bowdoinham’s 2019 5k Chicken Run & One Mile Fun Run. Photo Credit: Sarah Gagnon

Bowdoinham Community School hosts its 5k Chicken Run and Mile Fun Run for the first time in two years to raise money for student enrichment activities.

The event is set for 10:30 a.m. on May 7.

“The money raised by the Chicken Run supports enrichment activities that aren’t supported by taxpayer dollars,” said volunteer race director and school parent Sally Cluchey. “This includes infrastructure and gear for our outdoor kindergarten classrooms, our theater program, bringing in musicians, artists, or authors to spend a full day at the school, off-site field trips, and equipment to support niche science programs.”

Off-site field trips weren’t possible during the pandemic, including the annual fifth-grade trip to Boston, she said.

In 2019, the 5k Chicken Run raised $7,400. Volunteers hope to raise $12,000 this year, said Cluchey.

“We have not yet met the goal, but we are very close,” she said.

In 2021, the Chicken Run was canceled last-minute by a sudden rise in COVID cases. With 500 participants, volunteers felt it was too risky to proceed with the event.

“At that time, the Delta variant was really picking up speed in Maine and we were concerned of potentially hosting a super spreader event. Also, the kids at the community school were not yet eligible to be vaccinated,” said Cluchey.

“We anticipated that by Spring of 2022, most people and school-aged kids that wanted to get vaccinated would be able to do so, and thus the risk of community spread and severe illness would be greatly diminished.”

The race is coordinated through a Freeport-based business, Run in a Race, LLC. The founder, Brian Berkemeyer is the track and cross-country coach for Freeport High School.  According to his website, “Our goal as a company is to provide timing services and consulting for a wide variety of events that promote physical fitness and community spirit.”

“The Kids’ One Mile Fun Run will be an out-and-back from the Bowdoinham Community School to the fire station. It will be chip-timed and the kids will cross the finish line to music and their names being announced over a microphone. It is a good time and your kids will love it,” she said. “Prizes for the age-group winners for the 5K, are a half dozen of organic eggs from Apple Creek Farm. Prizes for the top three finishers in each category are a huge box of produce from the Bowdoinham Farmers’ Market and sourdough bread from Counterpoint Bread.”

For more information or to register, visit runinarace.com/BowdoinhamCommunitySchool/index.html