Race for Kids 2025

Race Day Timeline

7:30 A.M.: Registration Opens 
8:30 A.M.: 5K Run Participants begin their course 
8:45 A.M.: 1 Mile Walk Participants begin their course.
9:30 A.M.: Awards Ceremony. For those who choose to not stay for the award ceremony, all results will be shown at this link following the final participant completing the race. 
10:00 A.M.: Zoo opens for guests

Ready to participate? Here’s how:

• Join us in-person for the 5K or 1-Mile Walk on June 20th. Participation includes a T-shirt and free entry to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo for the day. Does your whole family want to participate? Select the 1-Mile Walk and choose multi-person pricing for a discount on registration for the whole family.
  
  
• Participate from home, or your favorite trail, by registering for the virtual 5K or 1-Mile. Complete your distance wherever you’d like between June 16-21 and enter your time online. You will receive your Race for Kids T-shirt in the mail prior to the event week.

Fundraise

Fundraise on behalf of the Clubs! Whether you are participating in-person, virtually, or not able to attend at all, you are able to make a big difference for our kids. Set up a personal fundraising page and share it with family and friends. To get started, click on the donate dropdown at the top of the page and select "Become a Fundraiser".  To get started on your page, click here.

All proceeds help to provide safe, fun places for kids, ages 6-18, to go after school throughout Northeast Ohio.

About Us

Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio was formed in 2019 by the merger of Clubs in Cleveland, Akron, Lorain County and Sandusky. It is one of the largest Boys & Girls Clubs organizations in the nation.

Clubs are safe, fun places for youth ages 6-18 to go after school, with a focus on academic success, healthy lifestyles, character/leadership development and life/workforce readiness. Kids receive a free daily meal and get help from caring adult mentors. There is no charge to join a Club -- we are funded by a mix of philanthropic dollars from foundations, corporations and individuals, and government funds.

BGCNEO has 32 Clubs in six Northeast Ohio counties and nearly 3,000 registered members.

Complete the following steps to set up your Personal Fundraising Page: 

Setting Up Your Personal Page 

• Click the site linked here (https://runsignup.com/Race/Donate/49036/BecomeFundraiser)

• Create a name for your fundraiser.

  • Ex: Ron's Race for Kids

• Create a tagline for your fundraiser

  • Ex: Running For Great Futures

Create Your Fundraising Goal

• We encourage you to be optimistic in your goal, you may just be surprised at how quickly you surpass it!

Upload a Profile Photo

• Your friends and family are choosing to support YOU, make sure they know they're in the right place with a profile picture.

Choose A Unique URL 

• Ex: https://runsignup.com/GraceRaceforKids

• This will be the link you send out to your network to invite them to support the Clubs. 

Create Your Page Messaging 

• This message should tell others what the Clubs mean to you and why you choose to support the kids who need us most.

• Feel free to edit the standard message included with the page to reflect your story.

• Once you have completed the above steps, select the blue 'Continue' button.

Start Fundraising 

• Your page is now active and you can begin sending the link to your page to friends, family, and coworkers.

• Our team will also be providing you with social media posts and email templates that you can use to promote your page as the event gets closer. 

Engage Your Network!

• Post on your social media accounts! Send a personal and enthusiastic email to your network! Share your excitement about the Race for Kids and BGCNEO 

• Rather than simply asking people as you see them, think through your networks of coworkers, family, friends, neighbors, etc. Be intentional in how and who you give the opportunity to support. 

Make It Personal! 

• People will give because they know YOU and want to support something that is important to you! Communicate your passion for BGCNEO's work to your friends, family, co-workers and other potential donors.

Advocate for Support!

• Sometimes people need a gentle reminder. Send follow-up emails and make additional social media posts, sharing your commitment to BGCNEO's work and inviting them to make a donation to your fundraising page. (Don't forget to include your personal URL.)

• If someone has indicated that they want to donate, but hasn’t, don’t hesitate to follow-up with a phone call or reminder email. Make sure they know the event date, people respond to deadlines!

Event Day Timeline

1. 7:30 a.m.- Registration Opens 
2. 8: 30 a.m.- 5K Run Participants begin their course 
3. 8:45 a.m.: 1 Mile Walk Participants begin their course.
4. 9:30 a.m.: Awards Ceremony
   • For those who choose to not stay for the award ceremony, all results will be shown at this link following the final participant completing the race. 
5. 10:00 a.m.: Zoo opens for guests

Ignite Your Brand and Empower the Future – Become a Race for Kids Sponsor!

By partnering with us as a Race for Kids sponsor, your company will gain unparalleled exposure to over 800 passionate participants across the region. Your support will help Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio create safe, dynamic spaces and provide life-changing opportunities for local youth, shaping the next generation of leaders.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to make a lasting impact! Click the PDF icon below to discover our exciting sponsorship levels and exclusive incentives. Have questions or want to explore custom sponsorship options? Reach out to Stephanie Sommers at ssommers@bgcneo.org – we’d love to discuss how your company can be part of this incredible event!

Let’s work together to create brighter futures for Northeast Ohio’s youth!

Click the icon below to download the attached PDF.

Our Virtual Race for Kids is a great way to support the kids who need us most from your home, or your favorite trail, by registering for the virtual 5K or 1-Mile!

Complete your distance wherever you’d like between June 16-22 and enter your time online. Already completed your race. Click here to submit your result! 

Submit photos from your Race using the hashtag #RaceforKidsNEO2025, we love to see where our virtual participants are running at!

*You will receive your Race for Kids T-shirt in the mail prior to the event week. *