Indianapolis – The Englewood Community Development Corporation (ECDC) announced that the second annual Pogue’s Run RACE FOR ROOFS for Affordable Housing will be held at 8:30 a.m., Sat., June 23 with the start and finish line located in the 100 block of N. Oxford St. The Englewood neighborhood’s annual community festival runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the same day near the intersection of N. Rural and E. Washington Streets.
For the race, individuals and teams will run/walk five miles through the Near Eastside of Indianapolis, much of which continues to be revitalized as part of the ongoing 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Near Eastside Legacy Project.
“ECDC works to strengthen the quality of life for our neighbors on the Near Eastside by offering quality, affordable housing to our diverse neighbors, including low-income families, the formerly homeless and those who live with mental illness,” says Joe Bowling, co-director of ECDC. “Daily, we learn how to better care for our neighbors, and this has led us to hosting this annual five-mile run/walk.”
All net proceeds from the race and the related neighborhood community festival go towards rental subsidies for Near Eastside residents who need assistance as they work to provide themselves and their families with a permanent, healthy and stable home. Last year’s race raised some $2,500 with 70 runners and walkers participating, and 150 people attending the festival.
In honor of this year’s RACE FOR ROOFS, the landmark Steer-In Restaurant at 5130 E. 10th St. has a special promotion. All day Tuesday, June 5 (6 a.m. to 9 p.m.), tell the Steer-In cashier before you pay that you are there for the Englewood Community Development Corporation (ECDC), and 15 percent of your bill will go towards the “Race for Roofs.”
Registration for the race for individual runners or walkers is $25 before June 15. Registration for teams, which must have at least five members, is $20 for each team member, before June 15. Each participant who registers before June 15 will be provided a race tee shirt. After June 15, registration for all participants is $30. Registration and check-in for participants on race day, Sat., June 23, begins at 7 a.m. behind CommonWealth Apartments, 23 N. Rural St. Individuals and teams can find additional race details and register on the ECDC website at: http://www.englewoodcc.com/poguesrun.html.
Child care for race participants is being provided from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. by Hazelwood Christian Church in the CommonWealth Apartments gymnasium, 23 N. Rural St. Race participants needing childcare should contact Tracy Taylor, race director, by June 20 at (317) 205-6197 or tracynicoletaylor@gmail.com.
The award ceremonies for this year’s race will take place on the open-air rooftop sports area of the recently renovated CommonWealth Apartments, a mixed-income housing complex at 23 N. Rural St. and adjacent to Englewood Christian Church.
The recent conversion of the former city public elementary school building into the CommonWealth Apartments is a joint venture of ECDC and other public-private partners, and is a major project of the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Near Eastside Legacy Project’s housing redevelopment initiative.
Concurrent with the race is the neighborhood’s annual community festival, which runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. behind Englewood Christian Church and in the adjacent CommonWealth Apartments gymnasium. The festival features food trucks, craft vendors, live music and fun for all ages, including children’s activities. Inflatable bounce houses and pony rides are being provided by Carousel MoonWalks. Entrance to the festival is free, but individual food and craft vendors and some children’s activities, require payment. Please bring cash, as checks or credit cards may not be accepted.
The race and festival also cap off the first annual weeklong Near Eastside Olympics, which pits neighborhood against neighborhood in friendly and healthy competitions.
For more information about the “Race for Roofs” and the neighborhood community festival, visit http://www.englewoodcc.com/poguesrun.html
