The race — which will feature a 10K, 5K and 2.5K option — will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Durty Dabbers Pavilion, 274 Reservoir Road, Lock Haven, with registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. The cost to register is $45 with proceeds to benefit the Haven Summer Youth Program and Central Mountain Cross Country.

The race will feature each tier of the races along with an art exhibition and food.

Organizers Nancy Hackenberg and Nick and Shonna Walker said the trails vary in intensity.

The 2.5K offers an easy going trail; the 5K option is relatively easy but can provide an introduction to trail running and the 10K is a complete introduction into trail running and can offer more of a challenge to runners, Nick said.

PHOTO PROVIDED A large group of kids and volunteers gather around a dunk tank as part of the Haven Summer Youth Program in a previous summer.

The race is organized each year by the trio, who spearhead the Haven Summer Youth Program which recently completed its third year in Lock Haven.

The program is held in parks within the city and offers kids the opportunity to play sports, games, take part in crafts and other activities or simply spend time together with volunteers.

The goal overall is to provide a place for kids to go and keep busy in a constructive way during the summer months.

Nick noted the camp is one of few that exist within the community.

“There’s never really been places for youth to go… nothing for them to do,” he said.

PHOTO PROVIDED Kids take part in crafts at the Haven Summer Youth Program.

Ultimately, Nick said the goal is to create a youth center so there’s a place for kids to go and spend their time year-round.

But for now, the summer youth program is what Real People Helping People focuses on to help local kids.

“We try to focus on an activity for every kid,” Nick said. “It could be games, sports or just hanging out.”

He, his wife, Shonna, and Nancy said the goal is to also offer kids positive role models — which are shown through their volunteers.

“It helps the kids and it even helps the adults reclaim some of their youth,” he said.

PHOTO PROVIDED A group of kids and two volunteers are pictured playing basketball during the Haven Summer Youth Program in Lock Haven.

All three noted, at the end of the day, many volunteers — some parents or other relatives of the kids — often thank them for organizing the program.

Nancy explained the kids — who can range from ages four to teens — are provided with food, drinks and a snack.

“Everything is donated,” she added. “We never want the kids to leave hungry.”

Shonna noted Covenant United Methodist Church also donates backpacks of food the kids can take home with them at the end of the day.

Kids also are given a T-shirt to keep as well. With Nancy adding they can get another if they outgrow their first or something happens to it.

PHOTO PROVIDED Volunteers hand out donated snacks to kids who participated in a previous Haven Summer Youth Program.

The programs take place in parks such as Hoberman or Piper Harmon so that it is visible and within easy walking distance for many local kids.

“We are super visible so that when kids walk by we can talk to them and ask if they’d like to join,” she said.

Nick noted some kids approach them to ask what’s happening and added they often aren’t certain if they can until being prompted to.

Shonna, who substitute teaches, said kids have often asked her if the program will happen again near the end of a school year.

Though Haven Summer Youth Program has only been focused in the city — with one stop in Mill Hall Borough — Nick said the goal is to reach as many kids as possible.

“The goal is to hit wherever we can. It takes a lot of time and energy to do this and we would like to do more,” he said.

The idea of a community center, which Nick mentioned previously, would be able to do just that as well.

“To have a place where we can have programs and activities that impact kids,” Nancy explained. “Our hearts really have been to impact the community.”

In total, the program has helped about 50 kids per year find activities to enjoy in the summer time. Shonna added the largest turnout they saw was between 80 to 90 kids in a summer.

Overall, they believe they’ve been able to help about 200 different kids on and off in the last three years since the program began.

They do this with an average of 20 volunteers, many of which can be parents or guardians of children who attend the program and want to help out.

Nancy said the program is able to create a space where kids can be themselves.

“And we create the opportunity for them to connect with role models,” Shonna added.

Many of the kids return to the program every summer, or speak to them throughout the year.

“It’s really cool because these kids know us and they trust us,” Nancy said. “It doesn’t matter where they are in life, everyone is welcome.”

“I love being someone they’re willing to say ‘hi’ to while I’m out and about,” Shonna said.

Nancy said many of the kids have often stayed behind after the program ends to help clean up and put things away — speaking to the impact it can have.

The race will also benefit the Central Mountain Cross Country team.

Last year, Real People Helping People was able to donate $500 to the program to help promote the team and purchase food and drink.

Shonna explained she and Nick’s son is on the team and they’ve felt it doesn’t get quite as much support as other sports do.

Nick noted long distance running can be extremely challenging and helps build strong individuals. He and Shonna commended the team’s coaches for their kindness as well which has an impact on the athletes.

Overall, Nick said, the sport is about coming together — much like Real People Helping People wants to do for the community.

The group hopes the Real People Helping People race can raise funds to offer a great donation to the team and also continue supporting the Haven Summer Youth Program.

“In the end, we want it to be about real people helping people and giving back as much as we can,” Nick said.

To learn more about the race, or the program, you may contact havensyp@gmail.com. You can also follow Haven Summer Youth Program on Facebook to keep up-to-date.