Lace up your favorite running shoes, assemble your favorite crew and get ready to hit the pavement during the ninth annual Race for Warmth at the Clark Public Utilities Electric Center in downtown Vancouver on Jan. 29.
The annual Race for Warmth offers a fun way to support a good cause while getting a little exercise and spending time with those you love. Plus, this year, the race will return to its roots as a live, in-person event at the utility’s Electric Center at 1200 Fort Vancouver Way.
“We’re so excited to welcome everyone back to an in-person race,” said Clark Public Utilities Marketing and Events Specialist Maxie Mayer. “All of us employee-volunteers missed seeing all the participants and feeling the excitement in the air as they lined up at the starting line.”
The Race for Warmth is a charity 5k walk/run and 10k run that directly supports Operation Warm Heart, a Clark Public Utilities donation-funded assistance program that helps families in financial crisis pay their electric bills. Every dollar of race registration fees goes directly to supporting local families in need.
The utility started Operation Warm Heart in 1985. Since then we’ve given more than $4.4 million to nearly 16,700 households in Clark County. The program is a lifeline for families who need help right away but might otherwise slip through the cracks of other assistance programs.
All of Race for Warmth Registration fees go directly to Operation Warm Heart, making it the program’s largest single fundraiser. That is due in large part to the generous support from local businesses including Area Heating & Cooling, New Tradition Homes, Burgerville, Columbia Credit Union, Northwest Personal Training, WHY Racing Events and more.
The Race for Warmth is produced and hosted by utility employee-volunteers, who are staged along the entire route. They’ll make sure the course is clear so you can focus on your stride. Plus, you’ll pass by some of the most iconic scenery Vancouver has to offer, including Fort Vancouver, the Columbia River, downtown and more.
This year marks the ninth year of a race that’s grown into a community tradition and a favorite of seasoned racers and casual strollers alike. In years past, this event alone has raised over $393,000 through registration fees and donations for Operation Warm Heart.
Early registration is $30 and open now at www.raceforwarmth.com. Participants receive a long-sleeve performance shirt, participation medal, bib number and a race bag filled with gifts and coupons all thanks to our generous local business partners.
For those that enjoy kicking back rather than pounding pavement, the “sleep in to stay warm” option at www.clarkpublicutilities.com/event/race-for-warmth is an easy way to make a tax-deductible contribution to Operation Warm Heart.
“For most, this is a fun and charitable way to spend a winter Sunday morning, but, every year we’re contacted by people who signed up because Operation Warm Heart helped them through a though time in the past,” Mayer said. “Heartwarming stories like those remind us how important and beneficial events like this can truly be.”
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
