Popcorn
Team
The goal of the Opportunity Enterprises Popcorn Panic
Team is to train runners with little or no experience
to complete the Popcorn Panic 5 mile race in September
of each year.
Training begins
in June, with group runs leaving from OE on Tuesday
and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. Training
is led by an experienced Training Coordinator who
teaches the walk/run training method. Other benefits
of participation include a team shirt, free race
entry for the Popcorn Panic race, team support
and encouragement, and prizes for top fundraisers.
In exchange for
these benefits, team members are asked to pay a
small registration fee when they join, and raise
an additional minimum amount of money to be submitted
before race day. For more information, contact
Chris Schneidt (christene.schneidt@oppent.org)
or Allison Thomas (allison.thomas@oppent.org).
Marathon Team
Since its inception in 1998, the OE Marathon Training
Program has become the agency’s largest annual
fundraiser. In 1997, 413 runners raised over $200,000,
and in the past nine years, nearly 2,000 runners
have raised over $1 million for OE.
The OE Marathon
Training Program is designed to train runners to
complete the Bank of America Chicago Marathon held
in October of each year. Training begins in June,
with group training runs every Saturday morning
through race day. Training is led by experienced
Training Coordinators who lead the group and offer
advice, guidance, training tips, support, and encouragement.
Runners of every fitness level are encouraged to
join, with training programs tailored to novice,
intermediate, and advanced runners.
Benefits of team
membership include:
• Complimentary race entry
• a team shirt
• a weekly newsletter with training tips and team
updates
• weekly group training runs with water stations
in Northwest Indiana
• transportation to and from Northwest Indiana
on race day
• access to a race day tent in Charity Village
including gear check, free massages, and toilet
facilities
In exchange for
these benefits, team members are required to pay
a registration fee when they join, and then raise
an additional minimum amount of money for OE. For
more information, contact Chris Schneidt (christene.schneidt@oppent.org)
or Allison Thomas (allison.thomas@oppent.org).
Pack-A-Thon
Each year, 800 volunteers gather on a Saturday
in September to help stuff 45,000 runner packets
for The Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Packers
stuff flyers, magazines, and product samples into
bags in brigade-style assembly lines.
Individuals
or groups of any size are welcome to join in the
fast-paced fun, which includes breakfast, lunch,
and a DJ to keep volunteers moving to the music!
Contact OE Volunteer Coordinator Suzy Kull (suzy.kull@oppent.org)
to find out how to get involved in this annual
volunteer tradition.
