Children get ready to participate in the Santa Chase segment of last year’s Jingle Bell Run/Walk held annually in Metuchen. The holiday-themed event raises funds to support the Arthritis Foundation in its efforts to help people of all ages who suffer from arthritis. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION METUCHEN — People will come out with bells on in the borough Dec. 8 to support the Arthritis Foundation and to spread the word that arthritis doesn’t just affect the elderly.
The annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis will bring children and adults with arthritis, and those who support them, together to raise funds to help fight and cure the nation’s leading cause of disability.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, more than 100 different types of arthritis affect people of all ages. In fact, two-thirds of people with arthritis are under the age of 65, including 300,000 children.
The holiday-themed Jingle Bell Run/Walk will begin and end at Metuchen High School, 400 Grove Ave. The event includes a 5K run/walk, a Santa Chase for children and family activities. Registration for the event will begin at 8 a.m., with the rain-or-shine walk commencing at 10 a.m.
Funds are raised through runner registration fees of $25 for those registering in advance and $30 on the day of the event. Donations are also accepted from those who don’t want to walk.
“There is no set amount,” said Rebecca Mooney, senior director of special events for the New Jersey Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.
“We encourage all of our teams and participants to spread the word and tell their friends and family that they are participating in this event to support the Arthritis Foundation, and to ask for support. Every dollar counts — whatever they can give.”
Donations of $20 or more may be made online at www.jbrmetuchen.kintera.org. People can also give the participants cash or checks in any amount made out to the Arthritis Foundation.
Donations to the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run/Walk will support arthritis research to find better therapies and cures. Donations will also afford those with arthritis, their families and health care providers access to tools, information and local programs that directly help people cope with the disease. It will also help to fuel advocacy efforts to make arthritis a national priority.
“This year, we’re really playing up the fun, festive holiday theme,” Mooney said. “We’re going to add a lot of new touches to the pre-race portion of the event. From 8-10 a.m., we will have pictures with Santa Claus, we’ll have a special section where people can get presents by visiting our sponsor vendor tents, and we’re going to do a VIP registration with special surprises for those participants who have done a great job with their fundraising. Then we’re going to have an opening ceremony, where we honor each of our honorees: two teenagers currently living with arthritis.”
The Santa Chase, which is a small noncompetitive race sponsored by the Independent Order of Oddfellows, will kick off at 11 a.m. The event will allow children ages 2-12 to literally chase Santa around the parking lot. Gifts and medals will be presented to all the children who participate. The cost to participate in that event is $15 in advance and $20 on the day of the event.
All of the preregistration activities are included in the registration fee.
All participants will receive a pasta lunch from Novita Bistro of Metuchen. The first 800 participants will get a long-sleeved T-shirt, and all runners will get bells for their sneakers.
Music will be provided by a DJ. Medals and prizes for the fastest runners and the top fundraisers will be presented at an awards ceremony after the race.
This year’s youth honorees are Michael Napoli, 14, of Monmouth Junction, and Julia Madsen, 15, of Cranford.
Michael started to feel weak last December and, after rounds of tests, was diagnosed with a rare form of arthritis called juvenile dermatomyositis. This affects three in one million children, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Michael is on the mend now and hopes to return to playing lacrosse — his favorite sport — in the spring.
Julia was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at 18 months of age, when her dad noticed that she couldn’t stand in her crib. She has been in remission since age 8, and said she runs to raise funds to help everyone suffering from arthritis. To date, she and her family have raised more than $21,000 for the cause.
The Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis is certified by the United States Association of Track and Field.
People of all levels are welcome to participate in the event, from competitive runners to those who have never attempted a 5K and just want to give it a try. There is also a 1-mile route for those who don’t feel that they can complete the 5K.
“It’s all about fun and getting into the spirit,” Mooney said. “We have teens that dress up; they’ll wear costumes just to make it a fun celebration. We give out different things like reindeer antlers and jingle bell necklaces to different teams, and everybody ties bells to their sneakers so that you can hear the jingle bells as the runners go by through the town.”