In addition to all they do to promote healthy lifestyles and moving your body, the Tug Valley Road Runners Club also does plenty to give back to the community, with funds from many races benefiting local charities and nonprofits. One such race is the Cause for Paws 5K and 1 Mile Walk/ This fun event raises money for Save Our Strays( SOS) Animal Rescue, which is located in Mingo County.
For Leigh Ann Ray, a local animal lover and TVRRC member, it’s more than a regular race. “This is a passion project for me,” She says of the race. “I want to use this race as a means to raise awareness of the issue and encourage people to adopt not shop.”
This year is the 10th annual Cause for Paws run, and in that time, they have raised and donated more than $10,000 to Save Our Strays. It sounds like a lot, and it’s certainly a success, but Leigh Ann emphasizes that we can always do more. “It’s only a drop in the bucket compared to what they need,” She says.
Funds from Cause for Paws have contributed to grant-funded spay/neuter projects, trap and release programs, and more in the time it’s been around. Through the years, changes to the race have been pretty minimal, with the only major change being the removal of the 10K run. As usual, if you're coming to support the 5K, bring your furry friend with you to accompany you along the course!
The Cause for Paws 5K and 1-Mile Walk will take place on Saturday, February 25th at Southern WV Community and Technical College in Williamson, West Virginia. Race day registration will be open 9:00am till 10:45am. The race will begin at 11am. Online registration is currently available at: https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=300732
To learn more about Cause for Paws, check out their Facebook event page.
