Race to benefit Henderson Libraries

Organizers hope to raise money, awareness of health and wellness resources

F. ANDREW TAYLOR/VIEWThe Henderson Libraries Read and Run For Your Health 5K run and 1-mile walk will wind through downtown on Feb. 23. Advertisement

Yes, the Henderson Libraries want to raise funds, but the main purpose of the inaugural Read and Run For Your Health 5K and 1-mile walk is awareness.

Executive Director Tom Fay said the libraries have a large selection of health and wellness books.

"Instead of trying to buy these materials, which can be very expensive, especially for series, you can borrow them," Fay said.

The Read and Run 5K will start at 7 a.m. Feb. 23 outside Gibson Library, 280 Water St. The run will loop back to the library through downtown Henderson. Participants are welcome to run or walk the 5K. The 1-mile walk will follow immediately up and down Water Street.

Fay said he loved the idea of the run when reference librarian Bryan Fearn suggested it.

"I am an avid runner, and I thought it would be fun to organize an event rather than always participate for others," Fearn said.

The more than 500 runners and walkers who are expected to show up will receive goodie bags with health products and information about health and the library.

Male and female race winners will receive $50 gift cards to Southwest Airlines, and all participants will be entered into a drawing for certificates from REI, Barnes and Noble, Jamba Juice and Village Runner.

The Las Vegas Running Team is coordinating the race, and local organizations, including St. Rose Hospitals and ClubSport Green Valley, will have booths set up. Food will be available for participants after the race.

"We thought this would be something unique," Fearn said. "Not very many libraries do something like this."

Registration is $25 until Feb. 16, and will increase to $30 through Feb. 22. Runners and walkers still can register on race morning for $35. The money will go toward library programs.

Participants can register online at www.mypubliclibrary.com or in person at Gibson Library, Paseo Verde Library, 280 S. Green Valley Parkway; or Lydia Malcolm Library, 2960 Sunridge Heights Parkway.

Fearn said library staff has been planning the run for months but, "It's good timing with our budget cuts."

The district recently announced that libraries will be closed on Sundays to save money.

"This event highlights both what we have in our collection and what we need," Fay said.

The library updates its medical books yearly so that readers can have the most up-to-date information.

Reference books and consumer health books that don't use medical jargon both are available. Residents also can access full-text health articles through the district's online database by visiting www.mypubliclibrary.com.