10th Annual Tom Moore 5K Run/Walk held April 11

Posted March 5, 2015 at 10:56 a.m.

BOONE—On Saturday, April 11, students from Appalachian State University’s Recreation Management program, in collaboration with Huntington’s Disease Society of America, will host the 10th Annual Tom Moore 5K Run/Walk.

The annual event will take place at 9 a.m., at Clawson-Burnley Park at the Boone Greenway Trail, with registration beginning at 8 a.m. All proceeds from the 5k run/walk will support research on treatments and the search for a cure for Huntington’s Disease.

Early registration, on or before April 8, is $20. Registration the day of the event is $25. Each participant will receive a long-sleeve T-shirt, on a first-come, first-served basis. Refreshments and fun activities will be available after the race, along with a record of running times. Each registered participant will be entered for great door prizes but must be present to win.

For more information or to register for this year’s event, go to www.5k.appstate.edu. For more information about Huntington’s disease, go to http://www.hdsa.org.

Tom Moore, the previous director of Resort Area Ministry (RAM’s Rack), is a Watauga County resident who was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease 14 years ago. Since his diagnosis, his father and brother have succumbed to the incurable condition.

Huntington’s is a hereditary, degenerative disease that slowly diminishes the patient’s ability to think, walk and function normally. Although treatments have been developed which lessen certain symptoms, there is no cure for Huntington’s.

Moore connected with the Recreation Management program at Appalachian 10 years ago for assistance in raising awareness of the economical, societal and emotional affects Huntington’s disease has on HD patients and their families.

In the past 10 years, the Tom Moore 5K has grown into a successful event involving participants from not only Watauga County but Wilkes, Ashe and Surry counties as well.

Through the commitment of these counties, Huntington’s Disease Society of America and Appalachian’s Recreation Management program, more than $50,000 has been collected for research, making a significant impact on the lives of the 30,000 HD patients.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.