Georgia College & State University’s (GCSU) Exercise Science Club and the Exercise is Medicine (EIM) initiative in partnership with GCSU’s College of Health Sciences’ Center for Health & Social Issues are hosting the Allison Everett 5k Saturday, Oct. 5, at 10 a.m. at GCSU’s West Campus Intramural lot.
This event has been hosted since 2017 to honor the life of alumna and faculty member Allison Everett, who tragically passed away in a car accident in 2016. Everett was an exercise science major at Georgia College and also completed her masters degree at the university. She was an exercise sciences lecturer and worked with GCSU’s School of Continuing and Professional Education to host an aerobics class for the community.
“The 5K is an event we’ve held for many years.
It’s gone through many names from Halloween Hustle to Holiday Hustle.
Allison was always present at the event and helped out. Exercise was very important to her,” said Dr.
Mike Martino, exercise science professor and exercise science program coordinator. “After she passed, we decided to name the 5K after her and since then, many have attended the event to run or walk in her memory.”
Martino was a coworker and friend of Everett for about 20 years. He describes her as kind, hard-working, and passionate. Martino stated that this year’s partnership with the Exercise is Medicine initiative was something he believed Everett would have done and approved of. According to the EIM website, the vision of EIM is to make physical activity assessment and promotion a standard in clinical care by providing physical activity resources for people everywhere.
“There is no cap on the number of races or limit on age. We’ve had kids as young as 8 to individuals as old as 80 participating.
Participants may run or walk, whatever works for them,” said Martino.
“People who knew Allison know she loved to exercise and was always doing so around the community and she supported initiatives like Exercise is Medicine. She wanted people to be active.”
Funds raised by the 5K support the Exercise Science Club and the Allison Everett Scholarship fund at Georgia College.
“The Exercise Science Club coordinates and plans everything for the event as well as running the event on the day of,” said Addison LaCotti, president of the Exercise Science Club. “It’s an honor to be the event coordinator now. I’m proud to be able to do something for someone who impacted the community so much and help preserve her memory.”
Anyone interested in participating may register up to the day of the race for $30 ($20 for GCSU students). There is earlybird registration available for $25 if registering by Sept. 5. All registrations by Sept. 20 are guaranteed an event shirt. To register visit https://forms.gle/ RqAw41CH9YmMwZ8f8.