Community Corner
Chicken Run Is No Foul Play
Austell-based CAMP raises thousands of dollars to help feed Cobb County's hungry.
Hundreds of runners gathered outside on Macland Road in Powder Springs early Saturday morning for a race against hunger.Β
The Austell-based Christian Aid Mission Partnership, known as CAMP, organized and benefited from the ninth annual Spring Chicken Run.Β
βCAMP served 12,000 people last year who were in need of food,β said Carla Pierce, the program director for CAMP. βWe gave away a million pounds of food through the Atlanta (Community) Food Bank.Β We were the largest distributing pantry in their network.β
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Jennifer Bressler and Jordan Krueger were ready for the 5K (3.1 mile) race.Β Bressler said theyβre neighbors and have done morning runs together for more than a year.
βWeβre here because itβs a worthy cause, and we want a run,β Bressler said with a grin.
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βThereβs a double benefit,β Krueger said.Β βItβs a good cause, and itβs good for you.β
Amia Freeman from brought her boot camp for the run. βAll of these ladies have been training with me since November. Itβs a two-to-three-day morning workout session every week, and they train hard,β she said with a grin. βOur next boot camp is in April. This is the first race for most of this group, so weβre pretty amped up.β
Folks from all ages were part of the fundraiser. Dave Brannon brought his 3-year-old granddaughter, Lily.
βWe do the Wesley Walk every year,β Brannon said, βso we decided to do this one this year, too.βΒ
Lily was more entranced with the balloon animals Ronald McDonald from the Loyal Order of the Moose was creating. βIβm with the Georgia Moose Legion Clown Troupe,β he told them. βWe do strictly charity work, and weβre big friends with Jay Cantrell from the food pantry at CAMP.β
Linda Neighbors has worked with the run for all of the nine years it has been around, helping with pre-registration. βWe had about 400 pre-registered, plus we had walk-ins.β
CAMP office manager Irene Blanchard said the organization aimed for 500 runners this year. βOur proceeds over the years have ranged from $8,000 to $13,000.β
βWeβre hoping to significantly top that this year,β Pierce said, βwith the help of our sponsors. All the proceeds go to the food pantry, which distributes groceries to families who qualify every 30 days. Those distributions address food insecurities in needy households for that month.β
Among the sponsors for the Spring Chicken Run are Cobb EMC, Aaronβs, and Wade Heating and Air Conditioning Service.