The Durango Adult Education Center is hosting a 5k and 10k run the fourth Saturday of June at Santa Rita Park to raise operational funds and raise awareness of the services it offers.
The center, located at 701 Camino del Rio near Albertsons, provides General Educational Development and high school equivalency classes for people to earn their GED’s, English as a second language classes, and also partners with Pearson VUE Testing Center so people can take professional licensure exams without having to drive to Denver or Albuquerque.
Susan Hodgkinson, executive director of the center, said the center relies on community donations for 40 to 50% of its funding, with the rest obtained through grants.
The fundraiser comes with a twist, said Kirsten Chesney, center spokeswoman. Runners can shave seconds off their time by correctly answering multiple-choice quiz questions that reflect what the center’s GED students and students studying to earn their citizenship are learning.
“It helps to broaden people's awareness of how challenging some of the GED questions are,” she said.
The questions are high school-level and are about math, science, social studies and language arts, she said.
“It kind of (forms) that appreciation, like wow, these students are working hard,” Chesney said. “This is what we do and how we use the topics that we teach them in.”
Susan Hodgkinson, executive director of the Adult Education Center, said it is nice to give people a taste of what the center’s students are studying for because it is not easy work.
“There's a fair number of us who wouldn't pass,” she said. “The GED is a series of four tests. They're not easy by any means. They're tough. They're very strenuous. And the citizenship test is really tough.”
The fundraiser is also a chance to encourage people to get outdoors, be active and be healthy, she said. Cardiovascular workouts, whether they come from runs or walks, affect brain health and the ability to learn.
“We want to encourage that as well,” Chesney said. “But the fun part for us with this race, which is why it's ‘The Fast and the Curious,’ is the quiz at the end. And it's good fun.”
She said Summit Fitness is leading a free prerace stretch session for participants. Durango Spine & Sport, a chiropractic office, is offering free laser therapy at the event. And Ohana Physical Therapy will offer free manual therapy as well. Alpine Bank, Massage Intervention, Nature’s Oasis and Gardenswartz are among other sponsors and/or prize donors.
The 5k and 10k runs are meant to appeal to runners, trivia heads and learners alike, she said. People who prefer to walk and children are also invited to participate.
Kids under 16 can run the 5k for free. Otherwise, registering for the 5k is $35 and the 10k is $45.
People can sign up for the fundraiser at durangoadulted.org/fun-run-event/
cburney@durangoherald.com
