Fun at the "Gates"

Our Run the Gates 5-Miler and 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk – which benefits four Bucks County agencies that provide services to disabled persons – broke all records Sunday, June 7. The almost 200 runners and walkers who participated more than doubled those who showed up last year.

Part of the reason for the great turnout lies in the support our committee received from the Middletown Township Parks and Recreation Department. By partnering with groups sponsoring township events such as the Run the Gates 5-Miler, the department is continually expanding its offerings and the success of the event is enhanced for the sponsoring organization.

Anyone who looks through the department’s summer recreation calendar – which is 28 pages long – can’t help but be amazed by the wide variety and affordability of the events that the department offers. Regardless of what your interest might be – from a challenging 5-mile run in Run the Gates to a healthy steps program for seniors to the second annual paddleboat regatta – the department will most likely have something for you.

As a community, we are indeed lucky to have such dedicated, energetic and innovative people working to improve our quality of life in Middletown Township.

We believe the department’s support of the Run the Gates 5-Miler helped lead to the explosion of participants this year and will enable us to turn it into a premier event in the running community – it is already being talked about among runners as a challenging and enjoyable event.

So, if you are a runner or someone who just wants to come out for the music and excitement in the park – where the runners start, pass through at the half-way mark and end – mark Sunday, June 6, 2010 on your calendar and we’ll see you there at the 5th Annual Run the Gates 5-Miler and 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk. You may just win one of the 24 awards given out at the end of the run.