Aspinwall resident Adam Souply doesn’t consider himself a serious runner but he does lace up his shoes every morning to clear his mind.
The 40-year-old finds peace in hitting the pavement – even Center Avenue, the dramatic hill that climbs to Upper Aspinwall and is among the steepest in the Pittsburgh region.
“I like the challenge of it,” Souply said.
On April 27, he’ll round up his family to “Run for the Hill of It,” a one-mile fundraiser that traverses borough streets, including Center Avenue, before ending at Fireman’s Memorial Park.
The fourth annual race is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. Cost is $45 per person and $105 for families, up until the week before the run when prices increase.
“Even before the event was in place I would run up the hill, so for sure it is a nice thing to do as a community,” said Souply, who last year placed third overall in the fundraiser.
Tickets include a family friendly festival afterward. There will be complimentary food and coffee trucks, a T-shirt, balloon artist, inflatables, DJ and ice cream.
Proceeds benefit Foxwall EMS, which responds to more than 1,000 emergency calls each year and provides about 880 transports.
Organizer Rob Tenenini said a portion of the money will also go toward the Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services, a combined volunteer fire department of Aspinwall and Sharpsburg.
Tenenini is hoping for 500 participants – up from about 350 last year.
“It seems like the event has some legs and the community is happy with it,” Tenenini said.
Since its inception, the race has grown from about 75 runners.
Foxwall Chief Ben Shopland called the support essential to his agency. They will use the proceeds to help with the costs of a new ambulance.
Foxwall operates three vehicles, the oldest of which is from 2008. Typical life span for an ambulance is about eight years.
“It is seriously aging and maintenance costs keep going up,” Shopland said.
Plans are not yet finalized for the purchase, but when Foxwallreplaced its most recent ambulance, costs topped $315,000.
Shopland said the race is a good way to raise awareness of who Foxwall is and the financial struggles it faces.
“As a nonprofit, our sole focus is to provide high-quality services,” he said. “It’s important to let the community know that we’re ready to serve when needed.”
In addition to emergency response, Foxwall supports the community through outreach programs such as CPR training, flu shots and disaster preparedness.
Tenenini said people of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate in the event – even if they want to skip the course altogether. A ticket to “Meet You in the Park” is an option.
For more, visit runsignup.com.