Andover Will Be Site Of Hike For Hope 5K Walk/Run On Sunday

ANDOVER, MA — Organizers said registration is still open for Sunday's Hike for Hope 5K Walk/Run in Andover. The event benefits Lazarus House Ministries, the Lawrence-based nonprofit that helps people facing poverty and homelessness.

The Hike for Hope will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at The Park in Andover, located on Bartlet Street. The $30 participation fee includes a Hike for Hope 2022 t-shirt.

Registration is available online, and organizers said registration also will be available in person on the day of the event. There also are opportunities to participate virtually.

For weeks, people registered for the race have been conducting fundraising for Lazarus House, and prizes will be awarded to the top fundraising individuals and teams.

In addition to raising funds for Lazarus House, the event also will include a food drive for the organization's food pantry.

Non-perishable items will be collected between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday in front of Andover Town Hall. Lazarus House said it will be looking to collect canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned soup, canned tuna/chicken, canned tomato sauce, pasta, rice, macaroni & cheese and plastic jars of peanut butter.

The Hike for Hope also will feature several fun family activities. There will be face painting, temporary tattoos, balloon twisting and games for the kids, a DJ will provide music, and cider, donuts, and pizza will be served.

Additionally, Amazon, the Hike for Hope's premier sponsor, will be holding a hiring event at the walk-run, according to organizers.

"This fun, community-focused event will bring all of us together to raise critical funds for Lazarus House to continue to meet the needs of the increasing number of guests who find themselves without meals to eat and food to put on the table for their families," organizers said in a statement.

More details about the Hike for Hope 5K Walk/Run are available on the event's website.