With just a little more than a month to go, officials at the Covington Police Department are gearing up for the annual Fuzz Run, which will be celebrating its 26th year on Sept. 12.
Voted the best 5K race in Georgia three years in a row by readers of Run Magazine, the Fuzz Run drew more than 2,600 participants last year and raised more than $25,000 for the Covington Police Who Care Fund, which helps fellow officers in times of illness or tragedy and also goes back into the community in donation form for things like the Special Olympics and Project ReNeWal. There is currently more than $30,000 in the fund.
"It’s been very helpful in the past," said Detective Daniel Seals of the fund. "We’ve had officers that have fallen ill, and we’ve been able to step in and help when that happens. It’s very comforting to know that we livein a community where people will come out and support something like this and the cool part is the money goes right back around and helps the community in turn."
According to Seals, the Fuzz Run has become much more than a road race and has turned into a sort of festival with vendors, local businesses and things like inflatables for the children. There were more than 500 people who attended last year just as spectators of the popular event. Every year, the design of the Fuzz Run T-shirt is much-anticipated, and Seals says the design for this year will not disappoint, though he declined to divulge the design just yet.
"It’s a big community event," said Seals. "It’s like a family event and we all take it to heart. It is a lot of hard work, but we are proud every year of the outcome. This race wins state awards for its size and race and that’s an honor that we are proud of."
The Fuzz Run has runners from all areas of the state as well as residents of Newton County. According to Run Magazine, the reason for the popularity of 5K runs is because of 3.1 miles; the distance us a good starting point for beginning runners. They are also helpful for more seasoned runners as a means of training for longer races.
"We care," said CPD Chief Stacey Cotton. "That’s part of our job as police officers, and we care about this community and try to help out when we can."
Those interested in participating in the Fuzz Run can register now. Visit the CPD Web site at www.covingtonpolice.com and click on the "Fuzz Run" tab on the right for more information.
