The last date to officially donate to the Taylor Garden Club for its sole fundraising event is Monday, Jan. 1.
The club is hosting its 13th annual Run for the Roses 5K and 10K Saturday, Jan. 20 beginning at Murphy Park.
The run will raise money for local high school students’ scholarships and other community beautification projects.
Garden Club President Penny Rychetsky said sponsorships will be accepted afterwards, but donors who contribute after the deadline will not be able to receive the same benefits.
“It’s just to make sure that we can get their names on the t-shirts, because I have a deadline for that,” Rychetsky said. “We’ll take the sponsorship anytime, but if it’s too late, we can’t get the name on there.”
Sponsorship for the Run for the Roses race is based on a matrix with four different levels offered. White rose benefits are given to those who donate over $100, yellow rose benefits are given to those who donate over $250, pink rose benefits are given to those who donate over $500 and red rose benefits are given to those who donate over $1,000.
Runners take off into the chilly Saturday morning wind during a previous year at the Taylor Garden Club Run for the Roses 5K and 10K. File photo
Each level receives a different designation on the run’s t-shirt, a vendor booth and is on the banner display.
“It’s a good way to get involved with the community and give back,” Rychetsky said. “This is our one fundraiser of the year, we don’t do anything else.”
The 5K run begins at Murphy Park and goes over to Naomi Pasemann Elementary and ends back at the park. Meanwhile, the 10K run begins at Murphy Park, goes around the lake, across the dam, over to Robinson Park and then ends back at Murphy.
“The whole thing is on park trails,” Rychetsky said. “What makes it unique is that winners get rose bushes because it’s the Run for the Roses. They get medals too, but the top finishers get rose bushes.”
The Taylor Garden Club started in 1950, and members meet during the second Tuesday of every month at club member’s homes, excluding summer months.
“We have a light meal and we have a presentation, depending on who we can get to speak in that field,” Rychetsky said. “We get them to come to a program and then we have a business meeting.”
Some of the club’s beautification projects include the Memorial Garden in Bull Branch Park, the Murphy Park entrance raised beds and Lou Bell Harris Pavilion in Murphy Park.
