Athlone Regional Sports Centre is calling on you to help raise awareness on World Heart Day, and they are even willing to entertain your children to allow you do so!
All you have to do is collect a registration form and enter the World Heart Day 5k fun run/walk which is on Sunday September 26. Sponsorship cards can be collected at the Sports Centre. Race goers who raise €50 or more in sponsorship will be granted free race entry.
Athlone Regional Sports Centre has loads of entertainment lined up for all the family on the day, including free child supervision between 12.30 and 2.45pm for all five to nine year olds. This is to allow adults participate in the walk or run and also give them time to have a cup of tea afterwards.
General manager at the Sports Centre, Liam Cunningham, said; “We are allowing children from 10 years upwards walk the race as long as they are accompanied by an adult. We want as many adults as possible take part on the day and have taken to the step to supervise children on the day between 5 to 9years of age.”
Child supervision needs to be booked in advance by calling (090 ) 6470975. Supervision will be indoor and consist of DVDs and arts and crafts, with places limited.
There will also be free soup and sandwiches after the race for all race participants.
“We want World Heart Day to be recognised and we also want the day to be fun. We don’t mind what time someone does the 5k in or whether they want to walk or run it. We just want you to participate and come in afterwards, feeling good about what you achieved, sit down have a chat and a bowl of soup and a sandwich with your friends,” added Liam.
On top of this the Sports Centre has lined up some free entertainment for the children in the form of a bouncy castle and a giant inflatable slide outside the Sports Centre. These will be free on the day and while supervised by staff, young children will need parent supervision.
There are children’s races as well on the day for under 4s, 6s, 8s, and 10s. These will be timed to coincide with the 5k race finishing and also giving you enough time to have a bowl of soup afterwards. All children who participate in the races will be given little treat bags which are being kindly sponsored by Mannions Wholesale. So put Sunday September 26 in your diary and do something with your friends on World Heart Day.
Entry for the main 5k race is €15 with all monies raised on the day going direct to the two charities, namely the Irish Heart Foundation and Athlone Drug Awareness. Children from 10 to 15 can also enter the race for €5 and the first 200 entries get a free race t-shirt.
