The Northern Neck Electric Cooperative inaugural Bright Futures Fund Run raised more than $2,500, providing children in the area with over 2,000 books. All proceeds from the event will go directly to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which offers free books to children from birth to age 5 in the region’s participating communities.
From left, NNEC Director James Wise, President and CEO Brad Hicks and Director Ralph Sutton present a check to several of this year’s participating children prior to the start of the Bright Futures Fund Run.
The event took place on Friday, June 9, at Westmoreland High School and the Westmoreland County Recreational Park.
More than 60 individuals, ranging from enthusiastic runners to families, participated in the various runs offered at the event. The options included a 1/4-mile, 1/2-mile and 1-mile run, catering to participants ranging in age from 3 to 95 years and all fitness levels. Attendees and NNEC employee volunteers cheered on the participants and enjoyed the vast array of activities available, including bounce houses and yard games.
“We are thrilled with the success of the Bright Futures Fund Run and the support of our members and the community,” says Brad Hicks, president and CEO of NNEC. “Every month, over 150 children will have the opportunity to receive a new book, nurturing their imagination and fostering a love for reading. As a community, we literally took steps to make a brighter future for our region’s children.”
Along the 1-mile course, participants also passed the event’s touch-a-truck exhibit, where children explored a variety of vehicles, including NNEC’s linework equipment and the vehicles of the Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia State Police, Upper Lancaster Volunteer Fire Department and Westmoreland County Sheriff ’s Office. The touch-a-truck gave families a firsthand look at the equipment used in their vital operations.
The Northern Neck Electric Cooperative extends its heartfelt gratitude to all participants, attendees, sponsors and volunteers who contributed to the success of this event, including the Westmoreland Family YMCA.
–Report by Kyle Allwine, Manager of Public Relations, Northern Neck Electric Cooperative.