STARKVILLE — In just a few weeks, families in costumes will gather at a starting line in front of the T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability, preparing to make a one-mile loop on the Mississippi State University campus. But the route will be a little sweeter than a normal run.
The center is hosting its 13th annual Trick or Trot fun run on Oct. 18, with on-site registration and kid-friendly activities beginning at 9 a.m. and the fun run starting at 10 a.m. Community cheer stations will be set up along the route to encourage participants and pass out candy, giving children participating an early Halloween experience, according to an MSU press release.
“I think the whole day is just fun,” T. K. Martin Center Executive Director Kasee Stratton-Gadke told The Dispatch on Wednesday. “And for folks coming for the first time, they’re shocked by the community cheer stations and the amount of … excitement you get to have for that one mile.”
Stratton-Gadke said the run is the largest annual fundraiser for the T.K. Martin Center’s schools.
While most people may know the center for its work with special needs preschoolers through its Project IMPACT early intervention school, Stratton-Gadke said the center also provides classrooms for medically complex elementary and middle school students. That program is partially funded through teacher units provided by the Mississippi State Department of Education, according to the center’s website.
But the Trick or Trot raises money for other aspects of the program, Stratton-Gadke said.
“Our fundraiser helps us to cover our teacher assistants, and the various therapies like speech, and (occupational therapy), (physical therapy),” Stratton-Gadke said. “We have (applied behavior analysis) therapy for some of our students on the spectrum. And it allows us to help cover some of those costs to make sure that every child that comes to the program can receive those additional services while they are here.”
Lead Teacher McKenzie Foster said that over the years, the Trick or Trot has grown. This year, she said, the center hopes to hit a goal of $35,000.
“Some of the teachers that have been here longer than I have, they said the first year they did the fun run, which was 2012, they were just happy to get $1,000,” Foster said. “And now, they’ve continued to see how much it’s grown and how much it’s brought the community to it, and how much more awareness we’ve brought to what T.K. Martin does.”
The Trick or Trot primarily raises funds through sponsorships, along with racer registration, Stratton-Gadke said. This year’s main sponsors are the Rowdy Foundation and Financial Concepts, Foster said.
While the Trick or Trot helps with raising money for the center, it also raises the spirits of the school’s attendees and their families, Foster said. T.K. Martin Center students participate for free, and get the chance to see their community show up for the race, Foster said, since groups like churches, little league teams, sororities, fraternities, athletes, businesses and more come out to show their support and pass out candy to the racers.
“Our families get to see the community’s support wrapped around them,” Foster said.
The event is geared to be both family-friendly and inclusive, Foster said, since it gives children who cannot participate in traditional trick or treating a positive Halloween experience.
“We didn’t want anyone to feel left out, and a lot of our kiddos don’t get to participate in typical Halloween events, such as typical trick or treating, whether that be because of medical conditions or mobility issues or food allergies,” Foster said. “And we wanted this to be an event where every kid just gets to be a kid.”
Sponsorships for the Trick or Trot are still open through Oct. 13, Foster said, and more information is available by calling the center at 662-325-1028. Registration for racers and cheer stations can both be found at ecommerce.msstate.edu/tkmartin/funrun/.
Child-friendly costumes are encouraged but not required.
“Your participation really has a resonating impact across the T.K. Martin Center in general, but particularly our school,” Stratton-Gadke said. “And the impact that this has on helping our students achieve their goals, and having the team that we need to make sure that they can achieve those goals… spending your morning having a fun Trick or Trot is a pretty fun way to help us raise money to do that, and we hope the community will come out and join us.”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
