The Summit Volunteer Fire Department will host its ninth annual Stop, Drop & Roll 5K and 10K run and 1-mile fun run on Oct. 7.
Check-in and registration starts at 7 a.m. in front of town hall, and the starting gun fires at 8.
The race is the only fundraiser during the year for the all-volunteer department, with all proceeds going directly to it. Promoters are hoping this year will be the race’s best-attended ever.
Runners and walkers of all ages may register online for $25 at RaceEntry.com, drop off their entry forms at Summit Town Hall, Wizard Electronics or Shelter Insurance in Summit, or by paying $30 the day of the race.
“We’ve extended the $25 early registration fee up to the day before the race and that not only guarantees entry, but also a T-shirt, finishers’ medals, a great goody bag and post-race refreshments provided by Piggly Wiggly and others,” Summit Fire Chief Stan McMorris said.
The Summit Volunteer Fire Department is actually two departments in one, McMorris said, serving both the municipality and nearby rural areas.
“We work out of three stations, one of which is fairly new and which we were able to equip through money we raised from the races,” he said. “That just goes to show how important this annual fundraiser is to our all-volunteer squad.
“None of us get paid, including myself.”
McMorris said more than 20 businesses have signed on as sponsors.
Over the past nine years, revenue collected from the race has helped the department purchase many needed items, McMorris said.
“We’ve bought special equipment, as well as necessary items like batteries for radios, fire hoses and various things for our men and women,” he said. “This year, we plan to use a lot of the funds we raise on renovating and fixing up a fire truck we recently purchased from Scott County, a 2000 model that needs some work.”
McMorris said a few firefighters run the race every year, including Jerry McEwen, who is in his 70s and serves with the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department.
“Jerry’s done the run every year” — in turnouts — McMorris said.
Summit’s department has about 30 active members, with another 10 on the department’s roster. The race director, Tina Reed, is a volunteer.
“I’ve been a volunteer firefighter since 1999, but joined the Summit department in 2013 when my husband, Chad, and I moved here,” she said. “Since I’m the race director now, I’m too busy with organizing things to participate, but I ran in the first six, as did my husband, and it’s an outstanding race
“Chad and I were involved in the beginning, when the race was first being considered by Chief McMorris and his son, Steven, who was also a runner.”
This year, the North Pike High School boys’ cross-country team will be participating in the race as well as a local homeschool group, Reed said.
Southern Race Timing of Laurel, will be timing the race. The course is well-marked, with the 5K going mainly through the town of Summit, McMorris said, and the 10K extending into and out and back course which winds through sections of Southwest Mississippi Community College. The race ends back at town hall.
