7th Annual Circle Trot: Trotting for a Cause

                                                                                                 COURTESY PHOTO

Events that benefit a community and support a noble cause often bring people in a certain area together.

Especially when promoting a healthy lifestyle, an event that leads by example makes a statement about what community members are working towards and looking to do for their neighbors.

This year marked the seventh annual Circle Trot — a variety of walking and racing to benefit the local charity Circle Program. The event took place on April 30. It began at 8 a.m. at the PSU Welcome Center/Ice Arena, and the races themselves kicked off at 9 a.m..

For PSU students, tickets were $10, but rose from that baseline based on the age or event. Participants could sign up online at circletrot.org, or at the race itself.

The 2K went up through campus, and back down to the ice arena and welcome center. This portion of the event was meant to be more of a walk, and parents could bring their children along. The 5K and 10K races for adults were more competitive. The 10K went as far as the Langdon Woods dorms and Fairgrounds Road.

There was also a spirit challenge held the same day, with a $400 prize. Local elementary schools tried to win. Remaining schools were put into a raffle for items such as Olympia Sports coupons and Piche’s gift cards.

Every age group of every race had its own prize. This year the awards were special, thanks to race director and PSU alum Dylan Zimmermann. “This is the first year that we’ve had real awards, because Dylan knew someone,” said PSU senior Brooke Reid, who helped put together the Circle Trot event.

The event raises money for the local charity Circle Program, which provides mentors for young girls in central and northern New Hampshire. Girls in the program are usually from single-parent homes, or are raised by their grandparents.

 “It’s local, and [Circle Program] wants to give girls more opportunities, that they can’t necessarily afford,” Reid said. “[Circle Program provides] anything the girl has wanted to do, but hasn’t had the chance to do.”

The event was made possible through heavy sponsorship from PSU’s Center for Active Living and Healthy Communities and the Bank of New Hampshire, as well as through donations from local businesses.

“The two main sponsors are Plymouth [State] and Bank of New Hampshire. And then, the healthy living is really incorporated through Barb McCahn,” Reid said. “She’s a huge help. She has a lot of connections, too.” Professor McCahn is part of the Health and Human Performance program.

To learn more or to donate to the Circle Program charity, feel free to visit their website at http://www.circleprogram.org/.