NORTHAMPTON — The 6th annual Purple Run For a Cure is headed to Look Memorial Park in Florence next weekend, and this year’s sponsorship means all registration fees will go directly to fighting cancer.
“The best part is that not only can avid runners go against their best time, they’re competing for a really great cause. Cancer is a disease that has touched everybody,” said organizer Tom McCusker. “The runners are doing what they love and doing it for something they believe in.”
According to McCusker, this is the first year that sponsors will entirely cover the cost of the event, sending all registration proceeds directly to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Hampshire County in June.
A sponsored finish-line arch will also be made possible for the first time, something McCusker said the event’s organizers have long wanted to have.
This year’s run will be held on Sunday, April 22, at 10 a.m. and will offer a walking component as well as 5K and 10K runs. Pre-registration for the event will begin at 9 a.m.
McCusker said the run is hoping to attract 500 participants this year and 200 people have already signed up. He expects more people to register in the week before the event and on race day.
The Purple Run was started in 2012 and has raised $11,000 for the American Cancer Society since then, according to a press release.
A craft fair with over 30 vendors will be held at the 2018 Purple Run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and there will be a photo booth for participants to capture snapshots of the day.
McCusker said there’s been a lot of support for the run, with runners coming from New York, Vermont and New Haven.
“It’s incredible to see runners coming from so far away for the race,” he said.
M.J. Tidwell can be reached at mjtidwell@gazettenet.com.