2nd Annual Take Flight 5K
May 24, 2014
On Saturday, May 24th, 2014 participants of all ages will taxi to the runway to be cleared for takeoff. They will run or walk down a Greenville Downtown Airport runway. Register today for the 2nd Annual Take Flight 5K to help raise money to add playground equipment for children 5 – 12 years old, to the increasingly popular aviation themed community park at the Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) in S.C.
Details and registration information can be found at: http://book-events.com/takeflight5k/. The race will depart from the park which is located next to the Runway Cafe at 21 Airport Road Extension, Greenville, SC 29607.
The first Take Flight 5K, held last year, had 310 people registered to participate in the 5K and 58 in the kid’s run! Many people from Greenville and the local region came out to help raise money for the park. It was a great first year event turn out! stated Joe Lanahan, Take Flight 5K Race Director. This year we expect to have over 500 participate, Lanahan added.
The event is on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Greenville’s Civil Air Patrol will present the Honor Guard and also conduct the ceremonial Prisoner of War (POW) / Missing in Action (MIA) Missing Man table ceremony, which is a mainstay for military programs honoring lost solders. According to the National League of POW/MIA Families guidelines, each POW/MIA table is to be set with absolute precision and was a highlight of last year’s program.
The program was very well received, last year. One father said that the Missing Man table prompted his family to discuss what Memorial Day is really all about. What a great teaching moment! stated Lanahan.
We will have some very unique prizes. The Best Overall Take Flight 5K Male and Female winners will receive a cool airplane gauge mounted to an award base! The gauge, a Tachometer, is used to indicate engine speed in revolutions per minute (RPM). It also shows the planes flight hours which helps pilots keep track of maintenance needed. It functions for an aircraft much like a vehicle’s mileage counter does for a car, stated Lanahan. All kids run participants will get Take Flight 5K ‘Dog Tags’ and everyone will get an event T-shirt. Other prizes will also be awarded, noted Lanahan.
Special Services Corporation, Earth Fare, CHUCK 97.7, Hot 98.1, 107.3 JAMZ, X98.5, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, RoundTowners and Fleet Feet Sports are sponsoring Take Flight 5K 2014. They will help get the word out about this great project and healthy fundraising event! Hope to see you at the airport! added Frasher.
GMU is the busiest general aviation airport in South Carolina and is a self-sufficient entity with financial strength that doesn’t rely on local taxpayers for funding. GMU is home to Greenville Jet Center, the largest Fixed Base Operator (FBO) in S.C., as well as more than 25 other aviation-related businesses creating 453 jobs that annually contribute more than $35.2 million to the Upstate economy.
For more information about GMU please visit http://www.greenvilledowntownairport.com or contact Joe Frasher at 864-242-4777 or [email protected]
