With beautiful summer days just around the corner, many of us are searching for reasons to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. And what better reason to get outside than supporting the Knock Out Poverty CARE-a-thon to help alleviate poverty across Tillamook County?

Community Action Resource Enterprises (CARE) has been serving Tillamook County as a locally controlled non-profit organization for 30 years. They provide emergency services and homeless services for low-income friends and neighbors, along with administering the Healthy Families program for new parents and operating two assisted living facilities.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and limitations on indoor gatherings, the annual Bowl-a-thon event has been replaced by the Knock Out Poverty CARE-a-thon. Both teams or individuals will collect pledges to run or walk the equivalent of a marathon or half-marathon between Saturday, May 1st and Thursday, May 27th. It may sound like a daunting challenge, but if you run or walk just 1 mile a day from May 1st to May 27th, you will cover the entire length of a marathon!

So how can you get involved? You can sign up as a team or an individual at www.CAREINC.org/donate , call 503-842-5261, or fill out this registration form and mail it to the CARE office at 2310 First St., Suite 2., Tillamook OR 97141. You can also donate to runners and walkers who are looking for pledges (or you can make a donation directly to CARE). And spreading the word about the CARE-a-thon is always appreciated!

If you decide to join and register for the CARE-a-thon, you will receive an event packet that includes a pledge sheet. You can collect pledges from family, friends, neighbors, and you will have access to an online, crowdfunding page as well. With this event, you have the freedom to go at your own pace – you can run the whole event at once or do little chunks at a time. And you might find it fun to participate with your team or pod! Just make sure to maintain social distancing and wear a mask.

Here is the upcoming schedule for the CARE-a-thon:

• Friday, April 30th, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm: Race packet pick up @ CARE offices
• Saturday, May 1st, 8:00 am to 10:00: Race packet pick up @ Nehalem Bay House
• Saturday, May 1st, 10:00 am: First Mile Live @ Nehalem Bay House (available in-person or on Facebook Live)
• Thursday, May 7th, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm: Participant prize pick-up @ CARE offices
• Thursday, May 27th, 8:00 pm: Last Mile Live @ CARE offices (available in-person or on Facebook Live).

 As stated on the CARE-a-thon registration form, “The key is to have fun, be safe, and help CARE Knock Out Poverty in Tillamook County!” Check out the video below from CARE about the event:

For more local health and wellness information, follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.