Wellington, Florida- On Saturday, December 2, 2023, Olympia hosted their 3rd annual Olympia Community Run, noting their highest participation to date with 610 residents registered. The community-wide event was largely organized by AJ and Christina Bachmann, with support from other community residents, members of the HOA, and sponsors.
Families of all ages and fitness levels gathered early for one of the five races. The day began with the half marathon at 6:00 a.m., 10 kilometers at 6:45 a.m., 5 kilometers at 8:00 a.m., and a 1-mile race at 8:45 a.m. New this year was the half marathon relay, where runners formed teams and passed a baton as many times as they wanted as long as the baton traveled the entire 13.1 miles. Supporters cheered and used cowbells to keep the excitement lively for the participants, including finish line excitement from Sonali Mendiratta, a breakfast table hosted by Kristen and Ervin Otankis at LINE-X of Palm Beach, and starting line fun sponsored by Integrity Dental. At the same time, water stations were sponsored by Advanced Surgical Physicians, Wel Mobile Wellness, Retro Fitness, and Dan Cavin of State Farm
“We had 29 sponsors this year ranging from swag bag sponsors to race starters and more. It’s amazing to see the broader Wellington community support this event as well,” said AJ Bachmann, the event organizer.
The sponsorship dollars cover the majority of the event costs. The event is also financially supported through nominally priced ticket sales and a generous contribution from the Olympia HOA. This year, the Olympia Community Run, in addition to other Olympia organized events, hopes to raise $3500 by the year end to donate to Kids Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to provide hope and support to local children and families battling childhood cancer.
“Being able to give back to others and be active in my local community is an amazing privilege and honor. This community event has allowed me to form new relationships, involve my kids in serving the community, and expand my view of what generosity can look like. Giving back to others is not always in the form of giving money — it is also using our talents, time, and energy to help others,” added Bachmann.
Aside from growing in participants, sponsor support, and impact since its inception, the Olympia Community Run has quickly become a highly anticipated event that the community looks forward to (and trains for) all year round.
To learn more about this event, please email AJ Bachmann at aj.bachmann@hotmail.com.
