MIAMI – Enthusiasm continues to grow as thousands of South Floridians get ready to participate in the 7th Annual DRI Walk for Diabetes & Family Fun day, presented by Walgreens at Marlins Park, March 4, 2017.
This family-friendly event consists of a Walk, the DRIHope4aCure 5K/10K Run & Kids’ Fun Run, and more to benefit the cure-focused work at the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) located at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
This cornerstone community-driven event is a collaborative effort between the DRI and Walgreens, who have partnered for seven consecutive years and together have raised nearly $2 million for the cure-focused work of the Institute.
This fundraising initiative is supported each year by individual participants, teams composed of families affected by diabetes; company teams; Walgreens associates and customers; volunteers; as well as corporate and media partners.
Corporate partners include Walgreens, Coca-Cola, Island Planet, RedBull, PepsiCo, Frito-Lay, Noi Café, Omnipod, and Yasso. As well as our media partners, Y100 Miami, 93.9 MIA, TU94.9, Big105.9, Newsradio 610, The Sports Animal 940, 103.5 The Beat, Comcast, Clear Channel Outdoor, Pinecrest Magazine, the Miami Herald, 102.7 The Beach, 790 The Ticket, 101.5 Lite FM, and 104.3 The Shark.
The first 1,000 people to use the promo code GORUNMIAMI at registration by February 28, 2017 will have their fee waived.
Event organizers hope to give locals a chance to get active through an effort called Get Moving Miami-Dade, while supporting research for a cure for diabetes.
All runners will receive participation medals, and there will be 1st, 2nd, 3rd place awards in 26 categories courtesy of MultiRace – which is setting up the chipped and professionally timed race.
More than 10,000 participants from all over South Florida are expected to once again lace up their sneakers and attend the event – where they’ll also enjoy face painting, giveaways, the DRIHope4aCure 5K/10K Run & Kids’ Fun Run, live entertainment from the Hip Hop Kidz dance group and Magic City Jedi, children fun-zone, health booths and much more.
Children who participate in the DRIHope4aCure 5K/10K Run & Kids’ Fun Run are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite superhero and help us battle diabetes!
“Everyone knows someone who is affected by Diabetes, Walgreens is committed to helping the Diabetes Research Institute find a cure, right here in South Florida,” said Roy Ripak, Past Regional Vice President at Walgreens. “We are looking forward to an even bigger and better event Saturday, March 4th, 2017. There is no cost to come out and walk for a cure; we encourage the south Florida community to walk with us. We need our community united to raise awareness and crucial funding in support of the life-saving mission of the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami.
“We look forward to seeing thousands of people join us and the wonderful employees of Walgreens once more to fight this disease,” said Joshua Rednik, President, and CEO of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation. “The entire community becomes involved and is the driving force behind this event. And with all of this great support, we will continue to make strides toward curing diabetes.”
On the day of the event, race registration begins at 6 a.m., the run starts at 8 a.m., and the Kids Fun Run is at 8:40 a.m. The DRI Walk kicks off at 9 a.m. while the family fun activities continue through 12 noon.
The DRI is actively seeking support from participants, corporate partners, sponsors, and volunteers to assist with the 7th Annual DRI Walk for Diabetes & Family Fun day, presented by Walgreens.
For more information, please stop by the closest Walgreens store for a flier, visit WalgreensWalkDRI.org, or call 1-800-321-3437.
