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Date: 11/12/2020
EAST LONGMEADOW – Many annual events have been canceled this year due to the pandemic, but one Thanksgiving tradition will go on and help the hungry in Greater Springfield at the same time. The 9th annual Stuffing the Pantry 5k run/2-mile walk will take place this year, but like many other fundraisers, it will be with a virtual twist.
Stuffing the Pantry, a road race that benefits the Open Pantry in Springfield, is traditionally run on Thanksgiving morning. This year, however, athletes will have one week, from Nov. 23 to Nov. 29, to complete the race. The course is completely up to the participant.
Tim Murphy, owner of 4RUN3, a fitness training and athletic wear store in East Longmeadow, and one of the race’s main organizers said that, on average, between 1,100 and 1,400 people participate in the race. This year, about 300 people have signed up so far, but Murphy noted that there are still a couple of weeks before the race, so he expected the number of racers to climb.
“We end up having a lot of people from out of town,” Murphy said, that will run the route in the morning and then celebrate the holidays with family in the area. He said that there is a chance the virtual nature will draw more participants because they can run in their own neighborhood. “It’s going to be interesting,” he said.
Murphy said the race organizers considered skipping this year because of a fear that people would not want to do yet another virtual race. “There’s a lot of virtual burnout,” he told Reminder Publishing, “but we said, ‘Listen, now could be the year when [the Open Pantry] needs it most,’ because of the pandemic.”
Open Pantry Community Services, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization that provides food banking and social services to the Greater Springfield area. The pandemic and the financial impact it has had has led to an increased need for services from food security organizations like the Open Pantry. Over the years, Stuffing the Pantry has raised $165,000 and donated nearly 6 tons of food to the Open Pantry.
Race participants must register ahead of time, at www.stuffingthepantry.org or at runsignup.com/Race/MA/EastLongmeadow/StuffingthePantry5k. The cost is $25 per race, per athlete, and the pantry receives all of the proceeds. The registration fee includes a long-sleeve race T-shirt.
Murphy said that shirts can be picked up at 4RUN3 from Nov. 23 to Nov. 25, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and drop off canned goods at the same time. The store is accepting food donations all month.