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Date: 10/19/2022
CHICOPEE – The Chicopee Chamber of Commerce will continue its new tradition of hosting a charity-based road race, the Chicopee Thriller 5K Road Race and Walk. The Oct. 29 event takes place in Chicopee Center at 11 a.m. Registration for the event is $35, with half of the proceeds being directed toward Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry.
The race starts and ends at Grise Funeral Home at 280 Springfield St. The 5K running route takes runners to Front Street, through Szot Park then back to Grise via Abbey Memorial Drive and Fairview Street. A two-mile walking route will turn up on Academy Street.
The Chicopee chamber has hosted a 5K run for charity since 2015. In the past, the race typically took place in June. When the chamber was looking to organize the event again after the coronavirus pandemic in 2021, the committee decided to make it a costume-themed run in late October.
Former Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Julie Copoulos said the Halloween-themed idea came from a desire to reinvent the charity race with a fresh idea.
“It came out of a desire to do something fun downtown. We were looking for a fun and fresh idea for this year,” said Copoulos in an October 2021 interview. Copoulos shared that the event would encourage people to participate in costume, with prizes being awarded for the fastest race times and participants with the best festive attire.
Copoulos imagined the Halloween concept as the start of a new tradition.
“We hope to do this year after year. The first year of these events are always the hardest, just because you’re coming up with the theme and bouncing around all these ideas. We’re hopeful we laid a really solid groundwork so we can continue with this theme,” said Copoulos.
Current Chicopee Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Melissa Breor said planning so far for the event has been “a smooth process” during her first year running the event.
“The chamber has a great history of hosting the 5K and the committee is spectacular,” said Breor in an interview with Reminder Publishing.
After the race, participants are invited to The Rumbleseat Bar and Grille for an awards ceremony and afterparty included in the $35 race registration fee. Prizes will be awarded for fastest runners as well as best induvial and group costumes.
Breor anticipates the event being a festive celebration in spirit of the Halloween season.
“I am excited to have folks show up in costume,” said Breor. She also shared that the chamber has hired a professional photographer to take photos of participants in their costume.
Breor also expressed excitement about the event’s charitable component. She explained that the chamber rotates annually which local organization that will receive a donation, with Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen fitting the motif of giving back to the community.
“I think it’s great for the chamber to engage with the organizations that are giving back to our community in Chicopee,” said Breor.
The event’s sponsor is N. Riley Construction, with other sponsorship support from Holyoke Medical Center, The Polish National Credit Union, Valley Opportunity Council, PeoplesBank, First American Insurance Agency, Health New England, HUB Insurance Services, Lumber Dogs, Ondrick Natural Earth, BK Hotels and Beauty Batlles Lounge.
Registration for the participants and sponsors is still open. Interested readers can sign up at https://eorcrunner1.wufoo.com/forms/m18lrk7q0f55u84. Readers can also register the day of the event.