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Habitat for Humanity run helps to benefit 20-home project in Kearns

Oct 14, 2019 11:09AM ● By Julie Slama

By running in the first-ever Habitat for Humanity 5K and fun run, families can help families have affordable homes. (Photo courtesy of Carin L. Crowe/Salt Lake Valley Habitat for Humanity)

By Julie Slama | [email protected]

A 5k and a one-mile fun run are planned to benefit 20 Habitat for Humanity homes being built in a Kearns neighborhood.

The first-ever Habitat for Humanity 5k and one-mile fun run will be held Saturday, Oct. 5 at Wheeler Farm. Race information can be found on runnercard.com. There will be medals for top finishers and swag bags, T-shirts and water bottles for all racers. 

In addition to the runs, there will be a fun zone for children, which will include face painting, balloon animals, games and other activities. Following the run, Wheeler Farm will hold its Octoberfest for families.

“We’re raising the money to build homes that are environmentally friendly and affordable to hard-working families in need,” Salt Lake Valley Habitat for Humanity Senior Director of Operations Carin L. Crowe said. “It’s a neighborhood being built with parks in an old baseball field, so we’re calling it our ‘Field of Dreams’ eco-community.”

Families contribute to building the home, with each adult putting in at least 225 hours. Already two families have moved into the new neighborhood as two more houses are being built, she said.

Crowe said that she hopes the race will bring in $20,000 to cover items such as internet wiring, utilities and playground equipment for the park.

The 5k and fun run, Crowe said, was the idea of volunteer Ruth Penderghast, who put the plans together for a 5k fundraiser.

“I thought a 5k was fun, not complicated and was a way everyone could be involved in helping support this effort,” Penderghast said. “We thought Wheeler Farm was a perfect location as it is a family-friendly environment where it is all enclosed, runners are on a woodchip path, kids can come participate and then have fun with activities both in the fun zone and then with Wheeler Farm. The families could make a whole day of it.”

Crowe said that having it be family friendly was appealing. 

“We want to bring our community together and this is one way, families can help families have a home,” she said.

The race has several community sponsors including HB Group, 3Form, Ninth West Welding, Arctic Circle, Salt Lake County, Pepsi Co. and Momentum Mortgage.

Salt Lake Valley Habitat for Humanity annually helps serve 60,000 people, Crowe said.

In addition to building homes, Habitat for Humanity has a critical home repair where they help families improve their homes from installing a ramp and widening doorways for those needing ADA access to removing mold or fixing walls that are separating. 

They also have several ReStores along the Wasatch Front and one in Park City which accept donations and sell home improvement items to the public discounted from the retail price. Proceeds are used to help build strength, stability, self-reliance and shelter in the community.