BY KELLY GOOCH

kgooch@tylerpaper.com

Community members are invited to participate in the Whitehouse YMCA’s fourth annual Run For Your Life 5K this weekend.

Registration is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Saturday at the YMCA, 301 Terry St.  The 5K race begins at 9 a.m.

Race Coordinator Renee Quackenbush said a half-mile fun run also is slated for 8:30 a.m. The fun run is free, and the YMCA instead is asking for non-perishable food item donations for the local food pantry, she said.                 

Proceeds from the 5K go toward YMCA program scholarships.

The scholarships, which can be full or partial, allow families to participate in YMCA activities such as swim lessons and soccer summer day camp, which parents may not be able to afford, Ms. Quackenbush said.

In addition to the races, she said information on living a healthful lifestyle will be available, and participants will have an opportunity to win a one-year family membership with the YMCA. Prizes, including gift cards, also will be given away, and there will be a bounce house, Ms. Quackenbush said.

She said it’s also the last day to weigh-out for Lighten Up East Texas, so people can run before the big weigh-out. She expects about 100 participants in the 5K.

Registration is $20 for adults and $10 for students.