City set for races Labor Day weekend

WILKES-BARRE – The city will be a hub of activity Labor Day weekend with races for hundreds of runners, bikers and children.

Phil Cable, of NEPA Cycling, said the downtown will host the Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania USAC State Championship Bike Races and Pennsylvania Senior State Championships on Saturday, Sept. 4.

The day will start at 7:30 a.m. with the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Half Marathon and 10K run. The championship bike races and two fun events – the Jack Williams Youth Bike Race, the Candy’s Place 10-Mile Benefit Ride and the Wet Paint Main Street Mile Run – will be held between 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Cable said the running races all benefit the Children’s Service Center of Wyoming Valley through grants from the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program.

“So many great things going on this year,” Cable said. “It is like we planted a seed and look what grew. We are hosting State Championship cycling, a half-marathon and 10K run in downtown, a Health and Wellness Expo on the square, rafting trips utilizing the new river common and two full days of great music provided by local artists. This weekend will just keep growing too.”

The Wilkes-Barre Health and Fitness Festival includes an expo at Public Square that runs 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sept. 3, and 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sept. 4. More than 30 fitness-, health- food- and adoption-related vendors are signed up.

Organizers said there will be live NEPA Crossfit workouts and the 3:16 Athletic Wear Concert stage will offer inspirational music for all tastes.

Whitewater Challengers will be offering raft trips down the Susquehanna leaving from Public Square for $12.50 all day Saturday.

The half marathon will have a free pancake breakfast and family activity zone sponsored by Sundance Vacations, and the Sneaker King start/finish line will be at the Northampton Street levee portal on South River Street.

Proceeds from the Main Street Mile will be donated to the Children’s Service Center. Bonner Chevrolet has offered a donation of $500 to the high school athletic department that turns out the largest number of students to participate in the mile run.

Cable said 31 regional Wendy’s restaurants have raised more than $17,000 to help fund the activities and raise awareness about foster care and adoption.

“Some of the downtown businesses have embraced this event by moving outdoors for the evening,” Cable said. “I can’t encourage everyone enough to get creative.”

Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, a signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption awards grants to public and private adoption agencies to hire adoption professionals who execute aggressive, child-focused recruitment programs targeted exclusively on moving children from foster care into adoptive families.

“We are so grateful to Wilkes-Barre Racing and the local Wendy’s restaurants for organizing and promoting this amazing event, and for believing that every child deserves a family,” said Rita Soronen, executive director of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

Rich Pais, race director for the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Half Marathon, said the Wilkes-Barre Health and Fitness Festival is a unique departure from other athletic events.

“It utilizes the spectacular new River Common, Public Square and downtown improvements as the course for races,” Pais said. “The old model was to get athletes in and out as quickly as possible on a Sunday morning, but many races around the country now create a festival atmosphere that encourages athletes, families and friends to stay and enjoy the day or even the weekend.”

“You can walk a mile, ride your bike, float the river, or enjoy a challenging Crossfit workout on Public Square, but I don’t think you will find any deep fried candy-bars at this event,” Pais said.

“We will have health screenings, athletic stores, whole food vendors, and more all throughout Public Square. You can come here and feel good about yourself.”

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The event atmosphere will be festive and family-oriented, organizers say.

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