After raising nearly $4000 last year, the Oneida Area Day Care Center will be again hosting its “Run for the Children” on April 25. There were about 100 participants in last year’s run, and according to director Sharon French, the center expects more this year.
“I’ve heard from people that organize races that after the first year, races usually grow by about 20 percent,” she said.
The money raised in last year’s race went toward the purchase of new equipment for classrooms. The daycare expanded after the closure of Wee Care, Oneida’s only other daycare center, last summer.
French said a portion of the funds this year will go to improve the playground, which will be dedicated to the Mazullo family after the race. The Mazullo’s donated the land for the playground and the center wants to honor and thank them. The Sayles Street location of OADCC was formerly the location of Mazullo and Son’s Carpet One, now located on Lenox Avenue.
Proceeds from the race will also help offset the cost of the center’s scholarship program for low-income families.
The race will occur during the “National Week of the Young Child,” held this year from April 19 to 25. Week of the Young Child, is sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children is an opportunity for early childhood programs across the country, including child care and Head Start programs, preschools and elementary schools, to hold activities to bring awareness to the needs of young children.
“All young children need and deserve high-quality early learning experiences that will prepare them for life, and Oneida has a great opportunity to do our part to help young children,” French said. “Week of the Young Child is time to recognize the importance of early learning for all young children, and to bring Oneida together to help give all young children a great start.”
The 5K race begins at 8:30 a.m. and will follow the same course as last year. The course is certified with the US Track and Field Association with a walk to follow at 8:40 a.m. At 9:30 a.m., there will be a “fun run” for children and the awards ceremony is expected to begin around 10 a.m. with the dedication of the playground to follow.
Interested participants can register by stopping by the daycare, downloading an application off the Web site (oneidaareadaycarecenter.com) or visiting fleetfeetsyracuse.com and clicking on “race schedule.”
Registration for the 5K run is $15 for early registration ($20 after April 18) and the walk costs $10. T-shirts will be given to the first 100 registrants.
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 Mar 30 Oneida Area Day Care to host second annual runAbbey Woodcock 03/30/09 
CATEGORY: Running
TAGS: run, 5K, Oneida Area Day Care Center, daycare EDITION: Madison Eagle Comments powered by Disqus Local News Archive
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