The Advocates to End Domestic Violence is hosting its 15th Light After Dark walk/run Saturday, Oct. 15 to raise money for the advocates against sexual assault program.
The event will include a timed 5k and 10k course that participants can choose to walk or run, opening ceremonies with speakers such as Mayor Bob Crowell and a hot dog and chili feed after. Advocates Director Lisa Lee said Light After Dark is always successful because people come in and have a good time while also getting to benefit the shelter.
“Almost every event we do to raise funds just is about us giving you something — whether it’s the Taste or the thrift store — you aren’t just giving us money,” Lee said. “You aren’t showing up just because you want to support us, you are showing up because you enjoy going to the event we are doing and the plus is that we are making revenue off that that will help the shelter and the sexual assault and help pay for the programs we do.”
The funds from Light After Dark goes exclusively towards victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, providing money for expenses such as food and clothing for victims of sexual assault when the advocates see them in the hospital.
“It is a good way to make a little extra money and we use that almost exclusively for the sexual assault program because there are so many little expenses that go along with it,” Lee said. “We can provide outfits that they can to wear home because most of the hospitals take their clothing, so they don’t have anything to wear home like shoes or panties or a shirt. Or we pay for a taxi to get home, or buy food — some of those exams can take a while so you need to be able to give them nibbles and food.”
The event will be held at the Riverview Park in Carson City, and Lee said they decorate the path with 1,000 solar lights and often have wild horses and other animals that can be seen during the walk/run.
“When it starts it is still light out, but that sun goes down so fast so that twilight hits and those lights just look so gorgeous and we do a lot of glowsticks too,” Lee said. “I love being there in the late afternoon because we have had the wild horses come through but it is just beautiful because you realize I am in Nevada, I am lucky.”
Light After Dark will start at 5:30 p.m. for registration and the walk/run will begin at 6 p.m. Registration is $35 for adults and $15 for children before Friday and $40 for adults and $20 for children the day of the race.
Lee said people are encouraged to dress up and come in teams.
“The walk/run is fun, people want to come in tutus and in groups,” Lee said. “For some, they want to run for the time, for others domestic violence has touched their lives and if they didn’t make that call for help, a friend made that call or a co-worker made that call and someone showed up to help them. Maybe it wasn’t in this town, maybe somewhere else, but they want to find a way to make sure someone is going to show up when they make that call and this is a way of doing it.”
For questions or more information, contact Traci or Becca at Advocates at 775-883-7654.
To register, stop by Classy Seconds Thrift Store or at http://www.active.com/carson-city-nv/running/distance-running-races/light-after-dark-2016?int.