Cape Girardeau County Parks to host first Polar Strut benefiting Special Olympics

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) – Cape Girardeau County Parks will host the first annual Polar Strut 5K and one-mile walk on Dec. 12 to benefit Special Olympics Missouri (SOMO). The nighttime event will feature runners and walkers outfitted with headlamps and glow gear as they travel through the Christmas light displays in Cape County Park South and the surrounding neighborhood.

The park will be closed during the event, which concludes beneath the light tunnel in Cape County Park South. All proceeds will support sports training and competition for SOMO athletes across the 14-county Southeast Area, including Cape Girardeau.

The Polar Strut is open to participants of all ages and is organized by the Cape Girardeau Police Department and Cape Girardeau County Parks Department. Registration will be held at Shelter #20 near Levi’s Playground. Fees are $40 for the 5K; the one-mile walk is free, with shirts available for $20.

Pre-registration will take place from 5–6 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Osage Centre. Day-of registration at Cape County Park begins at 6 p.m. The one-mile walk begins at 7 p.m., followed by the 5K at 7:15 p.m.

The event is intended for those who want to support SOMO without participating in the February Polar Plunge. Participants may walk, run, roll or “strut” through the cold evening air. Registration for the Polar Strut is available at Polar Plunge – Special Olympics Missouri.

Age-group awards will be presented to the top overall male and female finishers, along with top individuals in each age category. All 5K runners will receive a long-sleeve commemorative shirt and headlamp.

Participants are encouraged to register and fundraise online through the event’s Classy page. Paper registration forms are available at the SOMO Southeast Office, 1625 N. Kingshighway. Forms and contributions may be delivered or mailed to the same address.

Sponsors for the event include Coad Toyota, Drury Southwest, Cape Noon Optimist, St. Francois County Board, Cape Girardeau Road Runners, Cape Girardeau County Parks Department and the Southeast Missouri State University Cross Country and Track Team.

Special Olympics Missouri provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for thousands of children and adults with intellectual disabilities across the state. The organization returns 82 percent of all revenue to program services and holds multiple national nonprofit accreditations.

More information is available at somo.org, and SOMO can be found on major social media platforms.