CHICAGO - The Chicago Fire and the club's charitable arm - the FireWorks for Kids Foundation - will sponsor the 8th Annual Christopher House 5K Run/Walk for Literacy, taking place Sept. 16 beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT from Diversey Harbor in Lincoln Park in Chicago. As he did for last year's 5K Run/Walk for Literacy, Fire midfielder Jesse Marsch will serve as the Honorary Chairman for the event, and will be just one of many Fire players enjoying a rigorous run or a relaxing stroll along the shores of Lake Michigan to benefit Christopher House.
"This is a great event for a great cause," said FireWorks for Kids Foundation president and Fire general manager Peter Wilt. "Jesse's role as Honorary Chairman is a well deserved honor for all he does for the community. I look forward to participating in the event with Jesse and all the other runners and walkers."
The Fire are now in their second year of its partnership with Christopher House, a non-for-profit agency which helps low-income families thrive through integrated programming, including early childhood and youth development, parent enrichment, counseling, adult literacy, and emergency services. More than 450 people took part in the 5K Run/Walk for Literacy in the Fire's first year of involvement in 2003, and even more are expected to participate this year.
"The FireWorks for Kids Foundation has partnered with a great organization in Christopher House to put on an event like this. Christopher House fits in well with what we do at the FireWorks for Kids Foundation, which is trying to help out families and children in the Chicagoland area," said Marsch, who also serves as a board member on the FireWorks for Kids Foundation. "I am excited to run in this year's 5K Run/Walk for Literacy and I look forward to getting more of the team involved as well. It's a fun and casual way to enjoy a night by the lake and, more importantly, it is a great way to serve a great cause."
This year's registration fee ($22 in advance, $25 day of race) includes entry into a raffle drawing, a post-race party, T-shirts for the first 600 entrants, awards for top three overall male and female winners, team winners and top three male and female in each of 12 age groups, a goody bag full of discounts and samples and post-race refreshments at the race site. In addition, runners can join with friends, family and co-workers and race the Fire staff by entering the team challenge. The fastest team in each division - male, female and co-ed - will win a party for 40 people at Frank's on Clark. All team members' applications for the team challenge must be submitted under the same team name.
To receive more information about this year's Christopher House 5K Run/Walk for Literacy or to register for the race, please call Jill Antoniewicz of Christopher House at 773-472-1083 or log on to www.christopherhouse.org. To find out more on the FireWorks for Kids Foundation's involvement throughout the Chicagoland area or upcoming FWFK Foundation events, please visit the "In the Community" section of the Fire's official team website, www.Chicago-Fire.com.
