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.