Light Up the Night for Noelle, an annual walk and run in support of a charity helping school children, returns to Sarnia’s Canatara Park the evening of Sept. 28.
Light Up the Night for Noelle, an annual walk and run in support of a charity helping school children, returns to Sarnia’s Canatara Park the evening of Sept. 28.
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The 11th running of the Noelle’s Gift fundraiser will have “a spin” this year with runners and walkers wearing glow-in-the-dark gear, said convenor Bryan Cowden.
As well as encouraging participants to wear glowing bracelets, necklaces and other gear, organizers plan to illuminate sections of the route with glow sticks.
“The race is growing,” Cowden said. “We’re already at a record number of participants registered,” but there’s room for more, he said.
In total, there were about 300 participants in 2023 and the number could reach 350 this year, Cowden said.
Registration is available online at noellesgift.ca for a 10-km run and a five-km run and walk, but participants also can sign up at the run itself, he said.
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Packet pickup on race day is from 4:30 pm to 6:15 pm, according to the websitewith the first race starting at 6:45 pm
Also new this year was a free kids’ marathon training program for which 36 local youngsters, ages four to 12, signed up in July.
“On Tuesday nights, we ran the track at Great Lakes (secondary school,)” Cowden said.
“They had to do ‘homework days’ as well where they ran on their own” with the goal of completing 41.2 km by the day of Light Up the Night for Noelle when they will run a one km route at the event to complete a full marathon, he said.
“Those kids are going to get a special medal and it’s going to be like their graduation day,” Cowden said.
The goal, according to the event’s website, is to raise $50,000 for Noelle’s Gift to Children, a Sarnia charity founded in 2013 in memory of Noelle Paquette, a kindergarten teacher who died the same year.
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The Sarnia charity provides students with items ranging from winter clothing, to school supplies and glasses, while also supporting breakfast and snack programs in schools across the region.
One of her initiatives is Noelle’s Closet which places and stocks supply cabinets in schools.
“In that closet is everything that a child might need that they don’t have at home,” Cowden said.
He has come to appreciate the charity’s impact even more while volunteering at its community events.
“People will come up to you in tears talking about how Noelle’s Gift has helped them,” Cowden said.
Along with race fees, participants in Light Up the Night for Noelle can raise donations for the charity through the event’s website.
“It’s definitely a really positive atmosphere,” Cowden said about the event.
“It’s a huge social time” with several participants who grew up in Sarnia and later moved away coming home annually to take part, he said.
Along with participants, the event is looking for more volunteers, he said. “Volunteers make this event happen.”
Information for volunteers can also be found at the Noelle’s Gift website.
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