On December 4, 2005, the 28th annual Brian’s Run and Walk will take place throughout West Chester and the university campus. Brian’s Run and Walk began in 1978 to benefit Brian Bratcher, a Henderson High School football player that suffered an injurey to his spinal cord during practice. A year after Bratcher’s injury, his family and friends held the first Brian’s Run to raise money for him. Hoping to raise around $500, many were surpised when nearly 2,000 participants raised more than $20,000 for Bratcher’s expenses. After that year, Bratcher insisted that the proceedes of Brian’s Run and Walk be given to disabled West Chester community members who need help with mobility, seeing and communication.
To date, Brian’s Run and Walk has raised over $600,000. WCU has hosted the event in recent years, with many students, faculty and employees being involved every year. Brians’s run has been supported by many West Chester organizations such as the rotarty Club, Lions Club and the West Chester Area School District. In 1995, WCU was deemed the offical “home” of Brian’s Run and Walk. Now, a portion of the proceeds from Brian’s Run and Walk are donated to physically challenged WCU students.
Each year, Brian’s Run and Walk has brought out more and more West Chester community members and WCU students and also national and international runners. Brian’s Run and Walk received national recognition from Runner’s World magazine as one of the “100 Greatest Races.” Brian’s Run consists of a 10K race, 5K Run/Walk, 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk and a 1-Mile Children’s Fun Run for those 11 years and younger. Race results for the 10K & 5K will be posted on the offical Web site, www.briansrun.org. Students interested in registering for Brian’s Run and Walk can fill out the registration form online at www.briansrun. org.
Positions to volunteer at the event are also available for those students who do not want to be in the run. These positions include handing out water and steering people in the right direction during the run.