10th Annual Main Street Mile Scheduled for Saturday, October 1st
Newark, DE – Ten years ago on a crisp October morning, 120 people raced down Main Street to raise a few thousand dollars for the Newark Police Department K-9 unit.
On Saturday, more than 700 people will run down the heart of Main Street without any cars as what started as a small fundraiser has blossomed into an annual community event that has raised more than $100,000 for the purchase, care and training of the Newark Police K-9 unit.
This year’s record-breaking crowd includes hundreds of students, parents and teachers competing for $1,500 in prize money in the inaugural Delaware School Challenge. The top four schools with the highest number of participants in the race will earn money for their PTA/PTO/booster programs.
“This event has always been about helping the community, but this year we wanted to take it a step further and help our schools,” said Nic DeCaire, founder of the Main Street Mile. “It’s the participation that makes this so successful.”
The Main Street Mile provides runners and walkers a rare opportunity to race down Main Street without fighting the traffic. Five running chairs from Fusion Inclusion also will be participating in the race.
For participants, the fun doesn’t stop when they cross the finish line. The post-race party features a brunch hosted by the Deer Park Tavern, a Bloody Mary bar, beer tent, music and a demonstration by the K-9 unit.
The race begins at the McDonald’s traffic circle on Main Street at 9:00 a.m. Saturday and finishes at the Deer Park Tavern. The Main Street Mile is sponsored by R. T. Foard and Jones Funeral Homes, Fusion Fitness Center, and Friends of Newark Police K-9.
This year, the Main Street Mile has added prize money for the overall male/female of $100. Additionally, any male runner who breaks a 4:30 mile or female runner who breaks a 5:00 mile will each win a $25 cash prize.