For Immediate Release 
July 15, 2004

Contact: Penny Hinck, Race Director
732 571-2162 
JSRC Hotline 732 542-6090
www.saturdayinthepark5K.org  

JERSEY SHORE RUNNING CLUB TO HOST 11th ANNUAL
Saturday in the Park 5K
"Women Taking Steps to Help Women"
September 4, 2004
Event begins at 9:00 AM
Holmdel Park, Holmdel, NJ

Over 500 individual women runners and walkers, including teams of mothers and daughters and friends are expected to join together on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend to promote awareness of the organizations that provide essential services to women and their children in both Monmouth and Ocean Counties .

Presented by the Jersey Shore Running Club, the eleventh annual Saturday in the Park 5K "Women Taking Steps to Help Women" will be a fun-filled rain or shine event featuring:

  Women's 5K Run and Walk - 9:00am

Children's Races - 10:00am

Race Day Registration begins at 8:00 am.  Entry fees are $20 before August 29th, $25 after August 29th and $5 for Children's Races.  Early registration discounted entry is offered to JSRC members and to participants in the 5K under age 20. Participants who raise $75 or more in pledges receive free entry.

"We are very excited to be celebrating our 11th Anniversary. Another reason for celebration is knowing this race brings over 500 concerned individuals together as they run or walk to support programs dedicated to providing shelter, counseling, advocacy and education for women and their families in both Monmouth and Ocean counties." said Penny Hinck, Race Director, Jersey Shore Running Club.  "Again, this year we are featuring team challenges where Mother/Daughter and Sister/Sister teams will compete for great prizes.  In addition, we recognize participants with the most pledge money collected from sponsors."

"This running and walking event creates an opportunity to build awareness in both Monmouth and Ocean counties." added Hinck.  "For 2004 we have the beneficiary organizations of Epiphany House of Asbury Park and Long Branch , Providence House of Catholic Charities in Ocean County , and Spring House, Eatontown.  Donor pledges will directly benefit these women and families of Monmouth and Ocean counties by providing assistance, housing, and education, to create a self-affirming life as well as the skills necessary to gain self-sufficiency."  Since its inception, Saturday in the Park 5K has raised over $135,000 and has created greater public awareness of options and services available to women.

Epiphany House provides transitional housing and services to create and maintain a self-affirming life to homeless women and children who seek to recover from addiction. A major goal of the organization is to break the chain of addiction by preventing children from repeating these patterns. Providence House offers services to women and children who are affected by domestic violence.  Services include emergency shelter, crisis intervention, counseling and therapy as well as community education and training. Spring House provides interim housing to single female parents and their families providing the "springboard" to help residents learn life skills to gain self-sufficiency.

Past participants of Saturday in the Park have consistently remarked about how unique and special this event is. Almost everyone is touched by the ceremony at the start of the race when the runners and walkers join hands and come to understand the need for all of us to come together to support these "safe harbors" for women and their families.

The committee has solicited extraordinary prizes including a grand prize drawing of a women's bicycle, donated by the Jersey Shore Running Club, a girl's bicycle compliments of the Gordon family, and special awards for race winners. 

Event sponsors this year include:  East Coast Infertility, Telcordia Technologies Pioneers Chapter 99, Charity House, Kimberly Daley and Footcare Center, John Eddy & Jennifer Thien, NJ Natural Gas, Windmill Restaurants, Century Intercounty Title Agency,  O'Donnell Stanton & Associates, Kenney, Gross, Campbell & Pruchnik, Two River Community Bank and Assemblyman Sean Kean.

Members of the race committee include: Penny Hinck, Sharon Beskin Goodman, Luann McGraw Carhart, John Eddy, Denise Furey, Elaine Hartung, Eileen Higgins, Philip Hinck, Elizabeth Ireland, John MacGillivary, Deana MacLean, Adele McDonough, Donna Mehler, Joanne O’Shea, Suzanne Parton, Linda Rieche, Carolyn Rooney, Maria Ursino, Janie Steinman-Gordon, Jennifer Thien, Pat Weir and Dr. Charles Whelan.

Sponsorship opportunities and donations for goodie bag items are still available.  All sponsors will receive signage recognition and be highlighted in the event program.   Individuals and companies may contact Penny Hinck, JSRC at (732) 571-2162 email: penny@saturdayinthepark5k.org.

Jersey Shore Running Club is the largest running club in New Jersey with well over 1,400 members.  Dedicated to both running and to the community, JSRC events benefit local community and charitable organizations.  The club offers a variety of benefits including a monthly newsletter and an up-to-date website, www.jsrc.org.   Through its group runs, the JSRC offers the camaraderie of running with friends.  The club also offers a beginning running program for women to help them prepare to participant in the Saturday in the Park as their first 5K.

For more information on Saturday in the Park 5K, please contact Penny Hinck at 732-542-6090 (JSRC Hotline), visit our website at www.saturdayinthepark5k.org, or pre-register in person at The Running Store, at The Grove in Shrewsbury .