The Natchitoches Women’s Resource Center held its 11th annual “Run Baby Run” fundraising one mile and 5k race this Saturday, May 7. This year’s edition of the popular race featured a record number of participants as over 220 runners enjoyed a picturesque run through our city.
The Women’s Resource Center provides pregnancy related assistance to over 400 area women each year, providing 5-10 visits during the pregnancy with help continuing through the child’s first year. The Center provides its clients counseling, education and items such as prenatal vitamins, car seats, clothing and breast pumps. These items and the center’s support give the child and new mother a good start on their new lives. No one is ever charged a fee.
This year’s event was held in conjunction with the Natchitoches’ Farmer’s Market with the race starting and ending on Front Street. The Shreveport/Bossier Chapter of Team RWB, an organization dedicated to helping Veterans, returned for another year with Ainsley’s Angels. Ainsley’s Angels is a group that enables disabled individuals to experience racing using specially adopted racing wheelchairs. Five racers were taken through the race partnered with a RWB Member. Natchitoches Parish’s 4-H members were also on hand passing out fruit cups to the racers as they finished. Ms. Amanda Clark, the new LSU AG Center Agent working with 4-H, ran the race with her children turning in a 45:43 time. The Natchitoches Police Department gave the racers an escort. It is truly a community effort as people from every walk of life joined to help others in our community start their children’s lives in the best possible manner.
