Locals will savor sweetness of giving in Flintridge Guild’s Great Chocolate Race
For those who might need a little enticement to join in on a Sunday morning road race, the Flintridge Guild of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has just the thing — chocolate, and lots of it.
This Sunday the guild hosts its fourth annual Great Chocolate Race, a 2.5K/5K run that supports the mission of Children’s Hospital to care for all youngsters regardless of income and satisfies those with a sweet tooth.
“Not all of us like to run, but who doesn’t like chocolate?” said longtime guild member and race co-chair Savonia Angelica.
This year’s race begins at 9 a.m. in front of the La Cañada Unified School District office on Cornishon Avenue and loops down to Descanso Drive, passing Descanso Gardens and back up Verdugo Boulevard toward the starting point. Racers can participate in a single loop or go for the full 5K, Angelica said.
“This race includes everyone — families with strollers, kids, dogs and serious racers,” she added. “It’s a huge community involvement that just grows and grows.”
Volunteers at stations set up along the course will make sure the event lives up to its promising title by passing out sweet chocolate treats to encourage runners and walkers.
Registered participants are afterward treated to snacks and a post-race breakfast at Memorial Park, which also plays host to a fun family carnival, as the La Cañada High School’s Teens Advancing Children’s Hospital (TACH) hosts its annual TACH Bash from 9 a.m. to noon.
There, children and adults can purchase fun zone wristbands or buy tickets that entitle them to bounce house admission as well as a number of fun games organized by the LCHS club.
TACH Club President Christian Chung said the bash is a big fundraiser for the hospital and something organizers look forward to every year, even though it includes a booth where kids can throw pies in the faces of club members.
“We have all the events you can possibly imagine would be fun for a country fair,” said the LCHS senior. “It’s just a really fun bash.”
Underlying the fun and festivities of the Great Chocolate Race and TACH Bash is a serious effort to support children’s health and the work being done by the hospital for local families, Angelica said.
“It’s really cool to see the united community come together to celebrate healthy kids,” she added. “That’s really what it’s all about.”
FYI: The Flintridge Guild of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles hosts the Great Chocolate Race at 9 a.m. Sunday at 4490 Cornishon Ave., La Cañada. Admission is $35 for adults, $30 for children 5 and over. Registration the day of the race begins at 7:30 a.m. For more, visit www.fgch.la.
Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.
