Medfield High School Student Council Aims to Raise $4K at Running Water Road Race

The Medfield High School Student Council is organizing its third annual Running Water 5K Road Race, scheduled for April 10, with hopes of raising enough money to purchase a new water well for an impoverished community as part of the Water Project it has been involved with for three years now. 

The Water Project is a non-profit organization that brings clean water to impoverished communities through new wells. The Student Council has raised over $2,000 in the first two years of the fundraiser, including  roughly $1,500 last year, but the goal is to double that figure at the April 10th event.

"This year we plan to double [the money raised in the previous two years] because $4,000 will buy a new [water] well," said Evan Berry, Medfield High School student council secretary. "The goal is to have a student council sponsored well."

Berry proposed this year's Running Water 5K Road Race route to the Board of Selectmen on March 22 and received an unanimous vote of approval.

"That’s a great route, it really is,” said Ann Thompson, selectman third member. 

The route, explained by Berry, begins and ends outside the high school.

"We would like to start [the race] in front of the high school, closer to the gymnasium," Berry said. "From there, it will wrap around the high school and continue past the middle school, into a wooded area and there is a path that continues onto [Hillcrest Road] and continues up a hill and will run through several streets before looping around to the other side of the middle school, across the parking lot and back to the high school."

The route was first approved by Medfield Chief of Police Robert Meaney Jr., prior to Berry's meeting with the selectmen, and approved by the board after the presentation.

The purpose of the change in route from previous years is to avoid scheduling conflicts at the high school and keep the crowds of people away from major roads to avoid traffic issues. 

"We figured this route would probably be the most feasible because it’s still a 5K and it goes through neighborhoods as opposed to major roads," said Berry. 

Berry told the selectmen the route is also modified to satisfy the participants and keep them out of harm's way. 

"Last year, the lacrosse team decided to have practice the day [of the race] and we didn't want runners to be hit by any lacrosse balls," Berry said. "We wouldn't want that to spoil our reputation. The year before that, we didn't like having it end on the track because running the race and having to do one more lap on the track makes you not want to finish the race," Berry said with a laugh. 

The event drew between 50 and 70 people last year, according to Berry. The council is hopeful of a much larger turnout this spring.

"Third time's a charm," Berry said. "We've hit major running websites where people can go on and find a race in their area."

The race is only expected to last between an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the pace of the walkers, Berry said.

"We always see the really competitive runners who go all out for a Medfield High School sponsored event," Berry said. "Which is good, we love competition. They'll finish the race in about 20 minutes. The walkers who want to participate will probably take 45 minutes to an hour."

The April 10th event is slated to begin at 11 a.m. with registration starting at 10:15 a.m. Runners can register in advance on or before April 5. Cost to pre-register is $15 per person. For those who miss the April 5th deadline, you can register the day of the race but it will cost $20 per person. Runners will also have the ability to form teams of seven people or more, using one registration form, for a discounted price of $10 per person on the team. The event will include music, refreshments and raffles after the race. 

Forms for the road race can be found in the high school's main office and checks can be made out to Medfield High School. Cash is also accepted. Participants can send their information to MHS Student Council at medfieldstuco@gmail.com. All registration forms should be sent to Jessica Safer, Medfield High School, 88 R South Street, Medfield, MA 02052. 

More information about the race and the Water Project can be found at http://mhsstuco.blogspot.com/