If you start to notice a lot of people running around the streets of Clark County in Santa suits this weekend, Sherri McMillan has an explanation.
Why Racing Events has sold out of all the Santa suits it was offering anyone who registered for its Santa’s Posse Virtual 5K run/walk. That’s 500 Santa suits, said McMillan, president of Why Racing.
Entrants in the run received a full Santa Suit with pants, jacket, hat and beard, as well as a holiday ornament medal. Also $5 of their entry fee was being donated to the Clark County Sheriff’s Santa’s Posse, which provides a Christmas dinner and presents to families in need.
Even though the Santa suits are gone, the opportunity to run and help others did not end there.
“We sold out of Santa’s suits, but we were able to get 500 extra ornament medals,” McMillan said. “So we are doing something special – so amazing – and we hope our community jumps on board.”
Why Racing will make the race free to anyone who makes a minimum $10 donation to Santa’s Posse. The first 500 entrants to take that offer will receive an ornament medal in their goodie bag.
“If we get 500 more people to sign up with a $10 donation, that’s $5,000,” McMillan said. “Can you imagine how many people that can help?”
Donations can be made at the Why Racing website all the way through the nine-day competition window that runs Saturday through Dec. 27.
After running its first live running event of 2020 in October with Washougal’s Scary Run, McMillan had hoped to bring joy to the holiday season by offering another live event in December.
However, rising cases of COVID-19 and tightening restrictions would not allow that.
So Why Racing added two more virtual races to its calendar of events. The Ball Drop Virtual Half Marathon/10K/5K will welcome in 2021 from Dec. 31 through Jan. 10.
