Stuart - Sunday October 9, 2022: The second annual Martin County NAACP 5K/10K Walk and Run honoring Thelma Waters is ready to kick off at 7 a.m. on Saturday, October 15.
The race will begin at the Russell Holloway Track at Guy Davis Field at Stuart’s 10th Street Rec Center. Runners and walkers will follow a course through historic Downtown and East Stuart, finishing back at the Rec Center for the awards festivities. All skills levels are welcome. Medals will be given in all age categories.
Mimi Fry, the volunteer coordinator of the Walk and Run, is looking forward to getting people across the community to come together in an outdoor activity. “Last year’s participants loved the course,” says Fry. “It winds through city streets and gives walkers and runners a great new view of local neighborhoods.” Race organizers added a 10K to the event for runners who need timed races to qualify for upcoming half-marathons.
This year’s race honors Thelma Waters. Waters was known as “the unofficial Mayor of Indiantown” as an active and proud member of her hometown. She was known for her passion and resilience. She consistently fought for the people of Indiantown to receive access to basic needs including literacy, education, voting, healthcare, and poverty reduction and more. "People in Indiantown suffered in silence for a long time. Mom started ringing the bells, making the noise and banging on the pots and pans until people started paying attention," Waters' daughter Roslyn Waters-Jensen said. Although Waters passed away in 2021, her legacy continues to live on.
Last year’s inaugural race, honoring Russell Holloway, Jr, was a terrific success with many community members, businesses, and local supporters attending. Russell Holloway, Jr., was a star athlete and state track champion from East Stuart. He returned to the area after his college successes and coached many of the area’s youth. Holloway was the perfect honoree for the inaugural year and the Martin County NAACP is excited to continue to honor him through other local heroes like Thelma Waters.
The NAACP of Martin County is a branch of the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights organization. “Our chapter is a uniter, not a divider,” says Jimmy Smith, President of the local chapter of the NAACP. “Like Thelma, we want to bring the community together regardless of race or creed, do something healthy for ourselves, and honor one of our own who brought such honor to our area.”
Runners and walkers can sign up in several ways: at www.runsignup.com, at www.fleetfeet.com, and on the Facebook page for the NAACP of Martin County. The fee is $35 for the 5K and $45 for the 10K through October 13.
Sponsors for the event include the Boys and Girls Clubs of Martin County, Diane and Tim Kimes, JD Lewis, Kibbey Wagner Law, Martin County Healthy Start, Morgan Stanley, Osceola Café, Law Office of Robert J. Watson, Martin Downs Country Club, LEIF Therapies, Otto’s Bread Club, Anchors Aweigh Counseling, O’Rourke Engineering, Prescription Shop of Stuart, Rosalind’s Downtown Fitness, Pinder’s Nursery, The Stuart Center for Couples and Families, The Lotus Room Organic Salon, McCarthy Summers Wood Norman Melby & Schultz PA, Stuart Photography, Fleet Feet, Firefly Public Relations & Marketing, and The Art Department.