The inaugural “Trash Dash,” sponsored by the Vancouver Run, Grub and Chug Club and Heathen Brewing, will combine fitness and community service as participants pick up litter during a running and walking event on Saturday, July 22.
During the event, each team of two to three participants will be assigned an area in Esther Short Park, Uptown Village, the waterfront, Officers Row or the Hough and Arnada neighborhoods to collect as much litter as possible in 80 minutes (garbage bags and gloves will be provided). At the end of the event, all teams will meet back at the Feral Public House to dispose of the garbage — and then celebrate on the establishment’s new patio.
“We are very excited about the patio opening but are even more excited to work with the Vancouver Run, Grub and Chug Club on an amazing community event,” said Heathen Brewing Feral House General Manager Keno Leighty.
The route within each area will be determined by the teams, according to Vancouver Run, Grub and Chug Club founder Jon Hokama, but everyone can expect to run or walk the equivalent of a 5K or 10K.
That’s in line with the group’s regular weekly runs, which begin Thursdays at 6:45 p.m. in Esther Short Park and Saturdays at 10 a.m. in various locations around Clark County. All events are free, and after each one, the club visits a local establishment for food and drinks.
“Every week, the Chuggers make new friends running around Vancouver,” Club Founder Jon Hokama said. “The community has been incredibly supportive as we’ve grown, and it’s important for us to pay it forward.”
More than 1,500 members have joined the club since 2014, with approximately 50-100 participating each week. “It can be hard to join a large group of strangers for a run,” Hokama said. “So we focus on the people more than our pace or distance. Our members really make an effort to greet new runners and make them feel welcome.”
The “grub and chug” social hour after each event is key, he added.
“Getting to know each other and building friendships has really fueled our growth. Plus, it gives us an opportunity to support local businesses in Clark County.”
The goal of the Trash Dash is to expand that support to the community at large.
“We want to turn this into a quarterly event, where we go to different areas of Clark County and do our part to keep the community litter-free,” Hokama said.
