Glowing ghosts and ghouls haunt park during annual fun run

BY KARYN SPORY

Mt. Pleasant News

Flickering lights marked the path over 300 area residents would take Thursday night as they kept their eyes peeled for ghosts, ghouls and pumpkins at every turn.

The REC Center hosted its annual Glowing Pumpkin Fun Run at East Lake Park, which attracted its largest crowd yet.

?We?re very excited,? said REC Center Program Director Jordyn Dingman. ?This is the biggest turn-out of any event we?ve had this year. We?ve had 320 people sign up so we?re expecting to have about 350 by the time the night?s over.?

Residents came in droves, dressed in costumes and twinkling lights. Abigail West, 12, thought the theme of the night was extra fries, not exercise so she came dressed as her favorite food ? French fries. ?I just really love fries,? she said.

West said her whole family, except her dad, had dressed up in costumes for the fun run. ?He?s just watching this year,? she said.

?I run cross country so I?m use to running here (at East Lake Park), but running with my family is going to make it more fun,? said the middle schooler.

The costume that received maybe the most attention was Kaci Mertens and her mother. The duo came dressed as ketchup and mustard and their three dogs ? Oaklee, Bridger and Trigger ? were disguised as hot dogs.

Besides a costume contest, the event also featured vendor tables, sweets baked by the 4-H Cooking Club and Sweet n? Saucy?s food truck.

?This is a fun way to be part of a healthier activity,? Dingman said of the event. ?We?re showing the importance of how having a balanced lifestyle is a healthy lifestyle.?

Dingman said it?s also events like the glow run that help to bring the community together. ?We have so many that come out to volunteer,? she said, citing HCHC, Iowa Wesleyan University, 4-H and 5 Star Credit Union as businesses and organizations that help to fill the volunteer slots. ?We have a really good partnership with the community.

Daron Rice, a freshman at Iowa Wesleyan University, was one of the many volunteers. He said it was nice to come out and serve his new community. Rice was joined by fellow freshmen Nick Salas and Tyree Thomas manning the bouncy house. ?It?s fun to get out here and help out the community,? said Rice. ?We?re also enjoying seeing the costumes.?