Organizers ready for the Harbor Heritage Run
Marisa O’Neil
Students, parents, grandparents and even some babies will hit the
course Saturday for the Harbor Heritage Run, a race which has become
a multi-generational event over its 17 years.
The 5K and 2K run and walk, which starts and ends at Newport
Harbor High, provides the majority of the school’s PTA fund-raising.
Race organizers said that support from local residents and businesses
have helped keep it going over the years, as has support from people
who have participated in the past and now bring their families.
“That’s what’s great about this community,” race director Alesia
Erickson said. “People participate in this race with their extended
families. It spreads over generations. It’s a quick but nice way to
spend the first couple of hours in the morning.”
Erickson’s daughter, senior Katie, has taken part in the event
since her freshman year. Now she volunteers at the race as the bear
mascot for Children’s Hospital of Orange County.
The race’s first director, Karen Kendall, will also take part in
this year’s event with her daughter, Angie McCunniff, and 2-year-old
grandson, Cole, who will ride in a jogging stroller. Cole will take
the place of McCunniff’s daughter, 6-year-old Molly, who has done the
race the past few years.
McCunniff said that she sees classmates and alumni at the race
year after year and a few years ago had a big reunion with some of
her class of 1989 friends, who also brought their children to the
run.
“I see a lot of that with my close friends,” McCunniff said. “At
Mariner’s there are so many parents who all went to [Newport] Harbor
and stayed here, raising our kids, and want them to go to [Newport]
Harbor.”
Each year, the race attracts more than 1,000 participants, as well
as business sponsors and the Anchor Corps, parents who have made cash
donations. The event raised $27,000 last year, Erickson said, and
organizers hope for a similar amount this year.
“The money goes right back to the school, to the counseling
department aides, money for teachers to use for things in their
classrooms, our scholarship program, Grad Night and an academic rally
at the end of the year,” Erickson said.
Top winners in the 2K and 5K races will receive a pair of athletic
shoes and winners in each group will get an award. The event will
also have races for 5- to 7-year old children and 8- to 10-year olds.
This year, teams of four or more may also enter. Team members each
get a raffle ticket for a $250 cash prize, in addition to a ticket
all entrants receive for prizes donated by local businesses.
Before the race, a health and fitness fair will feature free food
and information booths from event sponsors.
Thursday and Friday will be “Anchor Days,” where people can
register at the school’s anchor on Irvine Avenue and receive their
event t-shirts, race numbers and raffle tickets. Participants may
also register on Saturday, before 8 a.m. when the race starts.
* MARISA O’NEIL covers education and may be reached at (949)
574-4268 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.
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