Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated’s Epsilon Rho Lambda Chapter and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated’s Gamma Upsilon Zeta Chapter present the 3rd Annual Race At Your Pace 5K Run/Walk June 3 at 8 a.m. at Methodist University.

“The purpose of this event is to bring awareness of premature babies, raise funds for the March of Dimes March for Babies and to impact the communities that we live in,” said Anthony Henderson, Alpha Phi Alpha

Fraternity member and marketing committee member for the event.

“For the last two years we have raised $10,000 so our goal to raise this year is $15,000.”

Henderson added that the funds will be donated to the March of Dimes March for Babies and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.

“Premature births are very high and prevalent in people of color,” said Henderson. “As we planned for the race, we found out that many members of both organizations had premature births in their family or they knew someone with a premature baby.”

He added, “For the longest time the March of Dimes March for Babies had a walk in Fayetteville, but they closed the Fayetteville office so we decided to bring it back to impact this area.”
In 2022, the March of Dimes reported that premature births are at an all-time high in the United States. People of color or those who live in impoverished areas are most at risk for premature birth.

Babies born ahead of 37 weeks gestation are at a greater risk of asthma, blindness, deafness and intellectual disabilities.

“The 5K course is a little over three miles and you can normally do it within 25 minutes to one hour depending on your pace because you can walk or run it,” said Henderson. “We also have the one-mile walk and people normally do it in 10 minutes depending on how fast their walking speed is.”

The cost of the event is $40 and participants will receive a T-shirt. Participants are asked to register as soon as possible. Food trucks and a medical health fair will be on site. Virtual runners can register for $45.

“We want to make sure that we are spreading health positivity in our communities,” said Henderson. “Come out and enjoy the event and all of the money goes to the March of Dimes in supporting healthy mothers and healthy babies.”

For more information visit www.19aaa06.org/a2z-fun-run.