More than 170 runners hit the trail at Camp Sexton on Saturday morning to run more than three miles for CHOiCES Charter School. Central United Methodist Church in Florence played host for the Polar Bear 5K, which is in its seventh year.
The public school helps students who have been dismissed or who dropped out of school get back on their feet and continue their education.
Marvin Owen, a race coordinator, has volunteered through the church for all seven years and said the camp is a great location for the school.
“The church does everything to support the program and the good work that the staff does for these young people,” he said.
Owen said the school has a different discipline code than many traditional schools, and teachers place an emphasis on respect.
“There’s no nonsense when it comes to the rules. That teaches them they have to do what they have to do: focus on their studies, follow the rules and turn out with an excellent education,” he said.
The race raised more than $3,000 in registration fees. The money goes toward maintaining buildings and any extras the school might need.
The event is the school’s only fundraiser, and Owen said the money raised during previous races has helped the school during difficult economic times.
“They give these young people kind of a second chance, and I’ve seen where they get their high school degree and go on. Without this school, they wouldn’t have an option,” he said.
David Coker, who has participated in four races over the years, said he knows he’s running for a good cause.
“They run on a tight budget, so a lot of money they get is from outside resources. I know their money is down a little bit this year — so anything we can do to help for that cause, the better it’s going to be,” he said.
Some male runners took the polar bear theme to an extreme and chose to run while wearing only running shorts.
Coker, who wore more than shorts during the race, said the course could be a challenge.
“At the two-and-a-half mile marker, there’s a big hill that always gets you. Other than that, it’s not a regular road course. It’s through the woods and everything, so it’s a really fun course to run,” she said.
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