Run to stop crime planned for Saturday
AUGUSTA — The Sussex County Fairgrounds will buzz with runners and walkers on Saturday to help fight crime by participating in the Sussex County Sheriff's Crimestoppers races.
The 5K race has been around for several years, but this year the organizers are eliminating the 10K that accompanied it and replacing it with the very hard-to-find 12K distance.
Sheriff Michael Strada has been involved in public service all his life and began a three-year term as Sussex County Sheriff on Jan. 1, 2011. He has a military background and recently graduated from The FBI National Academy Program in Quantico, Va.
The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office provides many services to the citizens of Sussex County.
“Two very important programs that we offer are programs geared towards our senior citizen population and our youths,” Strada said, “Some of the senior programs that we offer include fraud awareness, preventing home burglary, personal safety, senior identification and law enforcement awareness seminars. For the youth of our county, our officers teach L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs) in 11 of our county schools.”
The Sheriff's Dept. also assists the county's schools with various safety related drills and school assemblies.
“I am very proud of the relationship that we have with the senior citizens, the youth, and all of the citizens of Sussex County,” Strada said.
Strada said Crimestoppers is made up of a group of commissioners, mostly civilian volunteers from all over Sussex County. Strada said he helps support the commissioners in their fundraising efforts to keep the organization successful. It has about 25 commissioners and meets once a month at the Hampton Diner. All proceeds generated from fundraising efforts, including the race, go toward the awards that are paid when someone provides a tip to Crimestoppers that leads to an arrest.
“The Sussex County Sheriff’s Crimestoppers Race Against Crime is entering into it’s fourth year,” said Hillary Manser, confidential assistant to Strada. “We changed the distance from a 5K/10K to a 5K/12K to attract a new breed of runners. It is my understanding that this is the only 12K in New Jersey so we hope that this longer, more unique distance attracts a lot of running enthusiasts.”
Manser said that coordinating this fund raiser/community event is “always challenging but the challenge is embraced by our Crimestopper’s Commissioners because we all have our areas of expertise.”
The coursesThe 5K race will be held entirely within the confines of the Fairgrounds and consists of a counter-clockwise, double-loop track.
“The 5K course is very family friendly because it’s mostly flat and within the fairgrounds property,” Manser said, “It’s great to run or walk so everyone is encouraged to try this course.”
The new 12K course starts and finishes on fairgrounds property but will take the runners through rolling farmland along Plains Road and Route 565 in Frankford. This is the first 12K in the state since the Sourland Mountain 12K ended in the 90s.
“We thought it would be unique to offer this distance because 12K races are hard to find,” Manser said.
A DJ and food will be provided and awards will be given to the top three males and females in both events, as well as 10-year age groups to 80-plus and youth 7-11, 12-14, 15-19. There will be team awards to corporate, open and service departments, and both 5K and 12K are sanctioned by USA Track and Field..