Tri-County Kentucky United Way 5k now part of a trifecta of 5k runs

Tri-County Kentucky United Way is literally off and running with new plans for the local organization’s annual 5k walk/run.

To mark the start of the Tri-County organization’s second year, the local 5k walk/run will become part of a series of three signature 5k events this fall — the Tri-County United Way Trifecta — with one event each in Nelson, Marion and Washington.

The first 5K in the United Way Trifecta is the Spirit 5K event on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015, during the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown. The second event is the Farmers National Bank Pokey Pig 5K during the Ham Days festival in Lebanon on Sept. 26, 2015. The final Trifecta event is the Sorghum Shuffle 5k on Oct. 3, 2015 as part of the Sorghum Festival in Springfield.

A website is currently being developed for runners to get additional information about the Trifecta and the individual 5k runs with links to the individual registration sites. Runners will also be able to sign up to run the Trifecta, which will have its own overall winner and special awards.

A committee representing all three 5Ks has been working on the logistics of coordinating these runs and other details and hope to have a final plan by the end of May. Dooley Mattingly, a Tri-County Kentucky United Way board member, is chair of this effort.

Many runners like to schedule their year well in advance and Mattingly said he hopes the committee can pass the word out to runners to get these three 5K runs on their schedule for this fall. The committee hopes the initial Trifecta will serve to promote participation in each individual 5K as well as provide the United Way with better name recognition and presence in each community.

The United Way would like to identify sponsors who can help cover the costs for this three-county 5K event, as well as provide funding for other fall campaign expenses.

The local United Way — one of 22 in the state — serves nearly 30 human and health service agencies helping people in need in Central Kentucky.

For more information on this or other United Way topics, email info@tricountykyuw.com or call (502) 348-1891.

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