On Saturday, August 16, that legacy of service steps into the spotlight with its sponsorship of The Twilight 5K Race, launching at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.
Founders Park, with its open green space and nods to Highlands’ past, couldn’t be a more fitting backdrop.
“It’s where Highlands comes together, and it’s filled with markers of our history,” says Rotary Club president Randy Foster. “It felt like the perfect place to invite past presidents, longtime members, and the entire community. We want this event to reflect that spirit.”
Foster knows that spirit well.
A Rotarian since 1991, he joined the Highlands club after making the move here full time five years ago. When asked to serve as president, he saw an opportunity to honor the club’s legacy in a big way. “I’ve been trying to delegate to the right people, and I chose Marci Sherwood and Tracy Wade to head up the day-to-day details of the event. They’ve done an amazing job bringing this vision to life.”
The race starts at 6:00 P.M. at Kelsey\-Hutchinson Founders Park. The 5K course is undulating, beginners or walkers will find it friendly, yet the faster runners will be challenged. Race Day registration and check-in will start at 4:00 P.M. Early packet pickup is slated for 5:00 to 6:00 P.M. Friday, August 15 at Highlands Recreation Park.
For more information and to register, visit runsignup.com/highlandstwilight5k.
The Rotary Club of Highlands counts the Twilight 5K as one of crown jewels upon its fundraising calendar.
Last fall’s Highlands Twilight 5K raised nearly $30,000 for a new playground at the community recreation center.
Recent golf tournaments contributed $25,000 toward renovating the Community Building kitchen. The annual Fourth of July hot dog roast and Duck Derby continue to provide crucial support for the local food pantry. The club’s emergency response efforts recently delivered 100 heaters to western North Carolina communities devastated by Hurricane Helene.
Perhaps most symbolically, a new Peace Pole—created in partnership with Mountaintop Rotary—will soon stand in the community, bearing a message in English, Gaelic, Spanish, and Cherokee: Let peace prevail on earth.
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