Schools

Brookstriders Gear Up For Second Annual 5k Race

A group of parents and students from Brookside Place School are working to encourage students to be healthy and active.

For the second year in a row, the Cranford Brookstriders will lace up their running shoes and take to the streets in an effort to get local students to be more active and make health-conscious decisions.

The Brookstriders are a group of parents and students from Brookside Place School. Their goal is to get kids moving and to achieve that goal, the group is preparing for its second annual 5K race and 1-mile fun run, which is set for April 22. The event will kick off at brookside Place School. The runners will travel down Willow Street and through Nomahegan Park before heading back to Brookside.

The PTA held its first annual Brookstriders 5K last year Brookside Place School. The event drew hundreds of participants and featured a 1-mile Fun Run and 5K run/walk. Approximately 225 runners participated in the fun run and 180 runners in the 5K race.

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Cari Cichlar-Lynskey, a marathon runner and one of the parents involved in organizing the annual event, said her original goal last year was to raise funds that could be used to fund programs geared toward keeping kids active.

"I wanted to give the money back to the kids," she said.

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Last year's event raised almost $8,000. Cichlar-Lynskey said all of the sponsorships came from Brookside families who own local businesses. The brooksiders are hoping to expand it this year, gain more sponsors and raise more funds for healthy programs for children, such as a pool party that took place last week at the Cranford Pool.

Among the other events planned for the students in the coming weeks are Zumba nights for second-graders on Jan. 31 and another on Feb. 4 at 3:45 p.m. at the Community enter. In addition, there will be an ice skaing night on Feb. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the ice rink in Warinanco Park in Roselle.

Cichlar-Lynskey said the group is also planning to host an hula-hooping event, after which the hoops will be left at Brookside Place School for the students to use during physical edication or recess. Plans for a possible obstacle course event are also in the works. In addition to the physical activities and events, Cichlar-Lynskey said thee organizers are also hoping to work with on an event that will teach the students about healthy eating. The class would feature unique fruits and vegetables such as purple carrots, to teach children that eating well can also be fun.


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