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MONTGOMERY: Rotary run receives recognition

By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
   MONTGOMERY — Spring is in the air, which means folks are lacing up their sneakers, donning their sweatbands and getting ready to tackle the 16th annual Run with the Rotary 5k road race and one-mile “ramble” walk.
   However, the Rotary Club of Montgomery and Rocky Hill has been gearing up for its signature road race much longer to ensure it raises as much money for as many charities as possible. This will be the sixth year the club has been putting the event together since the founding family stopped participating in 2007. Each year, the proceeds go to the nonprofit club’s foundation, which helps out local, national and international charities.
   The Township Committee recently honored the Rotary Club’s hard work with a proclamation in recognition of its efforts to keep making Run with the Rotary a reality every year.
   ”We are proud that this event has become one of the premier 5K Races in central New Jersey and that our local Rotary Club goes to such great lengths to raise funds that benefit the entire community, particularly our most vulnerable,” said Mayor Ed Trzaska.
   This money raised from this year’s race will go toward helping organizations such as the Montgomery Food Pantry, Montgomery EMS, Samaritan Homeless Interim Program (SHIP), the Crawford House, the Mary Jacobs Library, the Montgomery Senior Center, Hurricane Sandy Relief, career development scholarships, international disaster relief and Clean Water for Haiti and Sudan.
   Deputy Mayor Patricia Graham encouraged residents and businesses to participate in this year’s event to help make it the most successful one yet.
   ”We want the Rotary to continue its robust program of giving, volunteering and strengthening our community,” she added.
   This year’s Run with the Rotary will be held on April 28 at the Upper Middle School on Burnt Hill Road. The more leisurely “ramble” one-mile walk will start at 10 a.m. followed by the 3.1-mile (5k) race at 10:35 a.m.
   The Rotary Club will also hold another Team Ramble Challenge. Awards will be given to the team with the most members, the team that shows the most spirit and the team with the most creative “ramble” attire.
   For more information or to register for the race, go to www.runwithrotary.org. Potential sponsors are asked to contact the club at [email protected] for more sponsor-related information.