Ole Miss AOII Hosts 5th Annual Run for the Roses April 18

The sisters of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority are gearing up for their fifth annual Run for the Roses 5k this Saturday, April 18. Runners and walkers alike can register to participate in the event which benefits Arthritis Foundation, AOII’s national philanthropy.

According to the Arthritis Foundation’s website, more than 674,000 Mississippians suffer from arthritis and an estimated 3,100 of them are children. Only two benefits are held for the Arthritis Foundation in the state of Mississippi, one of them being the Run for the Roses.

Sarah Siebert is a philanthropy advisor for the Nu Beta chapter of AOII, and she believes the event is a great way to help those suffering from arthritis in the community.

“There is no Arthritis Foundation headquarters in the state, our closest office is in Birmingham, so this event really makes an impact in Mississippi,” Siebert said.

AOII’s Philanthropy Chair Callie Craigen has been organizing this event for months.

“I feel like it is a great way for us to not only raise awareness, but to help people affected by arthritis get what they need for a more comfortable life,” she said.

Registration is $20 for students and $25 for all other participants. Runners pay to participate in the race, but will also receive a T-shirt and goody bag that can be picked up at the AOII house either Friday afternoon or the morning of the race.

The sisters of AOII will also host a “Panda Parade” fun run event for children in the community at 9:15 a.m. the same day. This will be free for all children to participate in, and each participant will receive a medal.

In addition to the race, people wishing to donate may purchase raffle tickets. Tickets will be sold at the race for a dollar each, or six tickets for five dollars. Items up for grabs in the raffle include a bag of goodies worth $150 from Pink and Proper, Jewelry from Indigo’s boutique, gift cards to Kabuki and other items donated by local businesses. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony immediately following the race, and ticket holders must be present to win.

If you wish to participate, you can register online or check out the event’s Facebook page or Twitter. The gun goes off for runners at 7 a.m. Saturday in the Grove.

Olivia Morgan is a HottyToddy.com staff reporter and can be reached at olmorgan@go.olemiss.edu.