Submitted By: Rachel Toomey
The Fort Myers Metro-McGregor Kiwanis will hold the 15th annual BUG Chase 5K run on Jan. 21, 2023 at the Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium located at 3450 Ortiz Avenue in Fort Myers. The race will benefit the Fort Myers-Metro Kiwanis Club’s BUG (Bring Up Grades) program and other local club sponsored youth service projects. Participants can find the link to register online at www.metro-mcgregor.com and clicking on fundraisers. Due to the nature of the course the race is capped at 400 registered runners.
Race sponsors include Passarella & Associates and Weinstein Wilkes Financial Group and Mills-Price & Associates. Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium has committed to an in-kind sponsorship sponsorship. Sponsorship opportunities are now available starting at the $100 level.
The course, supervised by Endurance Sports Timing, travels the trails at the nature center and a portion of the asphalt bike path on Ortiz and will be timed with bib tag technology. Packet pick up will take place 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on both Jan. 14 and Jan. 15 at Mills-Price & Associates. Race day packet pick up will take place from 7 a.m.-7:45 a.m. Race day registration begins at 7 a.m. and race time is 8 a.m. Adult pre-registration up to Dec. 10 is $25, Dec. 11- Jan. 20 registration is $30 and race day registration is $35. Youth (17-and-under) discounted pre- registration is $15, Dec. 11- Jan. 20 registration is $20 and race day registration is $25. The first 200 runners registered will be guaranteed a short-sleeve commemorative t-shirt in performance material, race bag and refreshments. Runners must register by Dec. 10th to ensure their t-shirt size. Overall and age group awards for the 5K run will be presented.
All proceeds benefit the Fort Myers Metro-McGregor Kiwanis BUG (Bring Up Grades) program, designed to provide recognition to local elementary students who raise their grades to an acceptable range and maintain or continue to raise them from one grading period to the next, and other local club sponsored youth service projects. Schools that have been supported by the club’s BUG program include Littleton Elementary, Rayma C. Page Elementary and Orangewood Elementary.
