WINONA LAKE – There will be a race in Winona Lake this month like no other, and 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit the town’s Limitless Park and the Grace College chapter of The Council for Exceptional Children. The Limitless Race is April 26. Registration on the day of the event is at 8 a.m., with the approximate two-hour race beginning at 10 a.m. Registration fee is $20 until Friday, and $25 after that. There is a 15 percent discount for students in kindergarten to college. Teams may include two to six people. The race starts at Winona Lake Beach, 1590 Park Ave. For more information or to register for the race, visit MetzgerOutdoors.com “It will be different from a normal race,” said Micah Metzger, Metzger Outdoors, the race host. “It’s all a secret until the day of the race.” He said the race is open to anyone of any ability. “We hope to get people who normally wouldn’t do a race.” “Most of it is in the Winona Lake area. That’s what makes it fun, they don’t have a clue of what they’re getting into,” Metzger said. Participants get a map at the beginning of the race. According to the Limitless Race poster, “Racers will have two hours to complete a series of unique challenges, both mental and physical. During the race, at least one of your teammates may have an additional physical challenge (some sort of sensory deprivation, racing without using appendages, etc.).” Prizes include a stand-up paddle board, an iPad and many restaurant coupons. Anyone who signs up for the race is entered into the drawing for the prizes, whether they run the race or not, Metzger said. Paige Wood, Grace College CEC fundraising coordinator, said, “We did some research and the only other one we could find like this happened in Canada.” Erin Porter, Winona Lake Limitless Park Committee chair, said they’re partnering with CEC because they’re both groups that focus on people helping people with disabilities. Winona Lake is bringing the Limitless Park to the town because a lot of people are forced to the sidelines because of disabilities. She said one in three Americans have disabilities. “There’s nothing like Limitless Park within 45 miles,” said Porter. “It’s a community driven project within Winona Lake.” For more information on the Park, visit www.winonalake.net/limitlesspark.htm Of CEC, Wood said, “We’re a student chapter at Grace that advocates for kids with disabilities. We work in the community with students and adults and this (event) is a way to have a race for them and for us to be the hands and feet of Christ.” She stated that they’re also working on a partnership with Warsaw Community Schools to have teams in the race from every school. Assistant Superintendent David Hoffert told them their mission statement aligned perfectly with WCS’s, she noted. Porter said one of Warsaw’s strategic goals under its mission statement is to reach out to the community, and participation in the Limitless Race is one way of doing that. Organizers are still looking for sponsors. Any business that donates more than $100 can get its name on the T-shirt, and the donation is tax deductible. If anyone wants to just donate to Limitless Park or CEC, they can email Wood at woodpe@grace.edu “We encourage people to take part (in the race) who have never done anything like this before. It will be fun,” Metzger promised. “Metzger Outdoors has traditionally seen people from over state lines participate in its races, even from Arizona,” Porter stated. Metzger said they’ve been sponsoring the races since 2009 to help raise money for the community. “They’re awesome!” Porter said of the races. “We do it because we love it,” Metzger concluded.
