Runners to take to the streets for annual Reindeer Run

DOVER-FOXCROFT — In conjunction with the Dover-Foxcroft Hometown Holidays celebration, the Foxcroft Foxcroft Key Club and other Division 2 Key Clubs will present the fifth annual Reindeer Run 5K on Sunday, Dec. 4 at 1 p.m. with registration from noon to 12:45 p.m. Registration forms are available at www.foxcroftacademy.org.
The 3.1-mile route, which can also be walked, starts by the Foxcroft Academy Student Center (east entrance). The
relatively flat course goes through the town and entrants can take part in exchange for a donation of toys or money.
All proceeds will benefit community Christmas projects. The Foxcroft Academy Key Club along with the Penquis Valley, Dexter, Nokomis, Greenville and PCHS Key Clubs are sponsoring the event to raise money in ensure children in their communities have a Merry Christmas.
Cookies, water, hot chocolate and more will be available after the race. The top male and female runners will receive a Christmas stocking filled with goodies and organizers will also conduct a drawing for two more Christmas stockings.
Last year’s Reindeer Run placed third in the New England Key Club District in the “Single Service Project” category.
A Foxcroft Academy Key Club member founded the Reindeer Run in 2012. Initially, it was created to raise funds to buy children in impoverished families Christmas presents, but when more pressing issues arose a portion of the funds were allocated to those issues.
The first year, a 3-year-old was diagnosed with cancer. Her family of five was struggling emotionally and financially. The Key Club decided a large portion of the fund would be donated to this family by purchasing presents for the three children and giving gift cards for food and gas to the parents.
In the second year, two sisters’ (both Foxcroft Academy students) home burned just days before the run. Again, the majority of the funds were given to family to help with expenses and Christmas.
A year ago Foxcroft Academy widened the scope of the project to include all Key Clubs in the Division 1-2. The race grew in magnitude (with the largest field of walkers to participate) and impact. The money raised was divided up between the six Division 2 Clubs based on percentage of who came to the run — in the end $1,200 was raised. Thirty one Foxcroft Academy Key Club members (about 41 percent of the club) spent a total of 103 hours on the Reindeer Run.