Community Corner
Holiday Half Marathon and Toys for Tots Teaming Up This Weekend
Holiday Half Marathon events will take place Saturday and Sunday at the Fairplex
This weekend, two annual holiday events will come together.
The Holiday Half Marathon events will be held on Saturday and Sunday, and members of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve will be there both days to collect either new, unwrapped toys or cash donations for Toys for Tots.
"It's our goal to ensure every child in the Los Angeles area knows the joy of Christmas," said U.S. Marine Gunnery Sargent Marcus Booth in a statement.
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The Holiday Half Marathon events, hosted in partnership with Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, will draw 7,000 participants to the Pomona Fairplex over the weekend. On Saturday, there will be a free Penguin Waddle 1 Mile Kids Fun Run at 10 a.m. for pre-registered children between the ages of six and 12, as well as a 5K starting at 9 a.m. On Sunday, the Holiday Half Marathon will begin at 8 a.m., and make its way through the Fairplex, around Bonelli Park and Puddingstone Lake and the NHRA drag strip.
This event will feature thousands of runners, including several thousand students from across Los Angeles County.
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“Encouraging children to be physically active is so important to help them establish a lifelong healthy lifestyle,” said Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center President/CEO Richard E. Yochum. “The Penguin Waddle is a fun way for kids to have fun, be healthy and is an example for living healthy. We’re excited about being a part of the Holiday Half Marathon for the third year and we look forward to being on-site at all the different runs for any medical issues that might occur.”
The Marines will be involved throughout the weekend, hanging medals on participants at the finish line and leading the races in the Toys for Tots Hummer. Organizers hope to top last year’s donation of more than 800 toys from the Holiday Half Marathon, which was the largest collection in the Los Angeles area.
For more information on the events, including how to register, visit the Holiday Half Marathon website. For more on Toys for Tots, click here.
