Sterling House Down & 'Not So' Dirty 5K Nets $27,000

STRATFORD – (Oct. 2, 2020) – On Saturday, Sept. 12, Sterling House Community Center (SHCC) hosted its 7th Annual Down & "Not So" Dirty 5K fundraising event at Short Beach in Stratford.

More than 160 individuals participated under bright, sunny morning skies and completed the 14-obstacle course run / walk at Short Beach. The event netted more than $27,000 to the agency, said Executive Director Amanda Meeson, benefitting Sterling House’s programs and services including its Food Pantry, Preschool, After School, Summer Day Camp, youth/adult athletics, its Resource Connection referral program and more. The agency was founded in 1932 with its five-acre campus located at 2283 Main St., Stratford.

The 5K event took place under unique circumstances, Meeson noted, with many precautions implemented to ensure the health of runners and volunteer staff. All participants wore masks, she said, and starting times were staggered further apart so participants could keep socially distant.

Meeson added, "Sterling House is so grateful we were able to host this event in a year such as we are all experiencing. We are thankful to our Down and ‘not-so-dirty’ 5K Committee for working through each and every detail to keep our community safe, healthy, and happy along the course.

“Thank you to all who participated and donated in support of SHCC, and to our special Town services including police, fire, EMS, health department, mayor’s office” and others. “It may not have been as muddy as usual, but we certainly made up for that in spirit!"

Patty Calabrese, Special Events Coordinator, added, "While so many events were impacted by the pandemic, we were proud to have provided a fun and safe fundraiser, for so many friends and families to enjoy. Many participants commented how great it felt to be able to do something normal again."

Calabrese also did a special shout-out to Prudential for its major sponsorship support and large volunteer contingent, as well as other sponsors including Encon, Aquarion, Bridgeport Fittings, Ashcroft, Aptar, The Milford Bank, Little Pub, ServPro, Subway, Hubbell Heaters, Level Up Fitness, People’s United Bank, Sikorsky Credit Union, Whiting Turner, Expand International and Webster Bank.

A special thank you, Calabrese said, to the U.S Army’s “PAPA,” the local Army base leader and a long-time member of the 5k event committee, and his group of volunteer women and men of the U.S. Army who again did incredible work alongside the other volunteers at this year’s event.

Also, Restaurant Row sponsors included The Windmill, Liberty Rock Tavern, Cibus, Whiskey Barrel, Jake’s Wayback Burgers and 99 Restaurants & Pub.

Tremendous Volunteers

Meeson and Calabrese both commended the the 5k Committee team of Prudential’s Wendy Fatum and Keri Lehman, Ashcroft’s Aimee Apatow and Sikorsky’s Rochelle Shidler, Tim Hunter and Rheanna Ward – all of whom worked diligently to revamp the registration check in area, the start line, the course layout, volunteer coordination and rebuilding obstacles to create a clean and safe course for the participants.

Thus, many of the changes proved to be very effective in the overall experience and will be ‘keepers’ for next year's event, Calabrese said, who also shouted out to Doug Meeson and his company, Global Scenic Services, for one such popular new obstacle.

"We are grateful for the many sponsors, community partners and participants who helped us raise valuable dollars supporting Sterling House many programs," said Calabrese, “and we look forward to the 8th annual event next year when hopefully we can return to more normal and ‘dirty’ event traditions.”

To learn more about Sterling House Community Center, please visit our web site at: https://www.sterlinghousecc.org. For more information about our special events, contact Patty Calabrese at (203) 378-2606, ext. 107, or pcalabrese@sterlinghousecc.org.