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Giving education a running start: Gary Burns Fun Run takes place Saturday
Runners react to the start of the 2011 Gary Burns Fun Run, which had 5,000 participants. This year, organizers expect between 6,000 and 7,000 participants. Photo courtesy of the Frisco Education Foundation.
By Anthony Tosie, atosie@starlocalnews.com
While Frisco residents' taxes support Frisco ISD, that money doesn't include the continuing cost of education after secondary school. That's where the Frisco Education Foundation comes in.
On Oct. 27, the foundation will be hosting the 13th annual Gary Burns Fun Run, which raises money for the foundation's goals of creating scholarships for Frisco ISD seniors and providing grants for Frisco ISD teachers.
At the event, which is being held in Frisco Square, runners can either take part in a 5K race or a 1-mile walk/run.
"The main purpose of this event is to reach out to community families and organizations while raising funds to support the foundation's mission," she said. "Though we help out the school district through grants and some program funding, our primary charge is scholarships."
Last year, the foundation gave out more than $500,000 in scholarships to graduating Frisco ISD seniors, and this year the organization hopes to increase that amount further, Miller said.
The event, which will begin at 8 a.m., honors the life of the late Gary Burns, who was an assistant fire chief for the city.
"Gary was a runner who people always saw around town," Miller said. "Besides running, he was very involved with the community and the youth, and he realized there were a lot of talented kids in the community who didn't have the resources to go to college. When he passed away in 1999, the foundation director at the time decided one of the major events would be this run in his honor."
In its first year, the event only had a few hundred participants, a number that grew to about 5,000 last year. This year, organizers are expecting between 6,000 and 7,000 participants.
Those increased figures will help the foundation's mission, as all proceeds from the event will go straight to the foundation.
"We're hoping to raise between $75,000 and $100,000 this year. This is our only fundraiser now that we've stopped hosting our Chili Cook-Off, so we're hoping people will participate in this race and we can get more money that will go back to helping our students," Miller said.
In addition to the race itself, other events will be taking place in Frisco Square on the same day.
Frisco Square will be hosting its "Trick or Treat the Square" event from 1 to 4 p.m. Children will be able to trick or treat restaurants and shops on the square, and a petting zoo and wagon rides will also be available.
Another event being held on Oct. 27 is the Heritage Center's Shawnee Trail Cowboy Day Festival, which will last from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. At that event, activities such as stagecoach rides, a cupcake walk and an armadillo race will take place. Demonstrations of blacksmithing, quilting and other activities will also be available.
Cathy Sweeney, one of the owners of the Frisco Square Development, said the day will serve as a great community event for the city.
"We're always happy to host the event, and it keeps getting bigger, which means more benefits to the Frisco Education Foundation and Frisco schools," she said. "The day will be an excellent way for families to get out, enjoy the run and then take part in some family-oriented activities afterward."
Registration for the 2012 Gary Burns Fun Run costs $25 for adults and $10 for children and students until race day. On race day, registration will increase to $30 for adults and $15 for children and students.
For Miller, the event isn't just a short-term responsibility, it's a long-term commitment to creating an environment where all Frisco students have the ability to go on to higher education when they graduate high school.
"As the district grows, we have more seniors that come into the district, and our mission will help raise enough money for them," she said. "But we need as much funding as possible -- we want to have enough money to help support kindergarteners when they're seniors as well."
For more information about the 2012 Gary Burns Fun Run or the Frisco Education Foundation, visit www.friscoeducationfoundation.org.
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