Solid Rock Youth Ministries will hold a 5K race on Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Enola Low Grade Trail, 301 E. State St., Quarryville. A kids' fun run will begin at 8:30 a.m., and the 5K will follow at 9 a.m. The fun run will be open to children under the age of 12 and will include obstacles for participants, who will receive a medal upon completing the challenge. The top male and top female winners of the 5K will receive a cash prize and a medal. Registration will be available online until Wednesday, Sept. 28, as well as at the event. To register online, visit https://tinyurl.com/solidrock5k.

This year's event will mark the fifth year that Solid Rock has hosted the race, a tradition that began with board member Mary Price. "It was something that the Lord put on my heart to plan. Solid Rock came to my church and shared a video about what they do, and I felt called to help in some way," said Price. In its earlier stages, Price's goals for the race were spreading awareness and raising funds for the ministry. This year, the fundraising goal has increased to $22,000.

"I had been wanting to organize a 5K, but I didn't know how to plan it," said Raeanne Nixon, executive director of Solid Rock Youth Ministries. "Months later, Mary came up to me after sharing at her church and said that she felt called to organize a 5K." The race is designed to be both a challenge for runners looking to compete as well as those who wish to walk the course as a family activity.

Solid Rock is a youth center for students between kindergarten and 12th grade and is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Nixon first became involved with the organization in 2013, and she noted that it has seen substantial growth over the years. "It's so neat to see Solid Rock growing over the years, both financially and in our programs," Nixon said. "When I first started, we had less than 50 students. Now, we have over 130 students in both our school-year and summer programs." Solid Rock is entirely run by volunteers and all programs are free to attend. The organization offers after school programs for elementary, middle and high school students and recently began a six-week art program for homeschooled students. Nixon added that Solid Rock is always looking for volunteers for its school-year programs, which will begin on Sept. 26. To become a volunteer, contact josh@solidrockquarryville.com.