'Run For Your Life 5k' Follows Lahar Evacuation Route

SUMNER, WA — The Puyallup Sumner Chamber of Commerce is inviting residents from across Pierce County to take part in a 5k later this month.

But it won't be just any old 5k— this one will follow a Lahar evacuation route out of Sumner, and raise money for volcano preparedness. The "Run for your Life 5k Fun Run" is set for May 28, 2022. It'll take off from Corliss Resources at 16805 64th St E, Sumner at 8 a.m. that morning. From there the route heads uphill, following the same path residents would take during an actual lahar evacuation.

May is Volcano Awareness Month, so organizers say it was the perfect time to raise money and awareness.

"Lahars (mudflows) from Mount Rainier are the primary hazard to developed areas in the valley including Orting, Sumner, Puyallup and Fife," the Puyallup Sumner Chamber of Commerce writes. "The recent tsunami and the destruction it brought remind us how important it is to provide early warning to residents. The lahar sirens are designed for the outdoor and driving public and are one of the tools used to alert residents during a lahar."

It costs $20 to register for the event. Money raised by the 5k will go to the Thrive Center, a local charity that provides rental resources for struggling Pierce County residents.

You can learn more, or sign up to take part, by visiting the Puyallup Sumner Chamber of Commerce's website.