39th Annual St. Patrick's 5K Event Takes Place To Benefit Special Olympics Oklahoma

Some Oklahoma runners are making a difference in the lives of athletes in our state.  

Hundreds of runners and riders gathered at Runners World in Tulsa for a fun run and 5K fundraising event benefiting Special Olympics Oklahoma. 

This event is touching Tulsans' lives. It is no ordinary race. There is a greater meaning behind these miles. 

Music blared and sponsors lined the streets to cheer on runners for the 39th Annual St. Patrick's 5K fundraising event. 

This is something young volunteers with BattleCreek Church we are happy to be a part of. 

"We're all special in our own way,” Jude Heath said.  

"Everyone should love like Jesus--just like he wants us to,” Eden Henry said.  

"It makes your heart warm,” Lydia Henry said.  

"It makes Jesus happy and it's because I get to help my dad too,” Maisie Heath said.  

"I just felt like it'd be a good deed and I decided to do it,” Evan Hodges said.  

Ainsley's Angels is a national nonprofit group of riders and runners who joined in on the fun. 

"We're just happy to see all these smiling faces again and renew the friendships that we've created over the last several years between our riders and runners,” said Jana Rugg, Tulsa ambassador for Ainsley's Angels. 

Harlan Guthrie has been a part of Special Olympics in the Tulsa area for over 20 years and said there is nothing quite like it. 

"You buy into it. You meet everybody. You see what you can do. You see how much you enjoy it and again, next thing you know it's 20 years later and you're still doing it,” Guthrie said.  

Guthrie said the course may have been easy but the Special Olympics' season leading up to it has not been. They have had to develop new events with the pandemic and turn existing events into a virtual competition with most team sports on a hiatus. The Special Olympics just wrapped up its Polar Plunge fundraising season having to cut back on live plunges and the number of participants. 

"You do what you can and just go forward with it and find new ways to get together,” Guthrie said.  

Guthrie hopes to resume some live competitions in the fall but said this fundraising event is a good start. 

For more information on Ainsley's Angels, click here. 

For more information on Special Olympics Oklahoma, click here.