A herd of Jumbos will take over the campus's streets tomorrow as part of Tufts' second annual Jumbo Stampede.
Led by President's Marathon Challenge Director Don Megerle, a celebrity in his own right at Tufts, the 5k race will kick off Homecoming weekend.
The stampede has a new charitable component in which $5 of every registration fee will go toward supporting undergraduate financial aid. This is the first year that the Tufts University Alumni Association (TUAA), which sponsors the event, is donating part of the proceeds to financial aid, according to Patricia Reilly, director of financial aid and co−manager of student financial services.
The idea for the $5 donation to financial aid originated last year when TUAA received feedback from members of the Tufts community, who said they would prefer the race to have a philanthropic aspect to it, according to Samantha Snitow (LA '02), the TUAA's assistant director for young alumni and student programming and the main event organizer.
The TUAA hopes that the charitable aspect of the run will encourage increased participation among the Tufts' community, Snitow said.
"We thought it was incredibly relevant and in true Tufts spirit to add a charitable component to the race," Snitow said.
Turnout may be diminished, however, because the 15th Annual Somerville Homeless Coalition (SHC) 5k Road Race shares the same time and date as the Jumbo Stampede — 9 a.m. tomorrow.
Even University President Lawrence Bacow and his wife, Adele Fleet Bacow will be participating in the SHC 5k, as they committed to the race before the date of Tufts' 5K had been finalized.
"I committed to run the Somerville Homeless Coalition Race months ago before the time for the Jumbo Stampede was set," Bacow told the Daily in an e−mail. "Since the SHC is honoring Tufts this year for our work in supporting the organization over the years, I thought it important that I honor my commitment."
Bacow ran both races last year, when the races took place on separate dates, and hopes to stop by the post−race party after he returns if time allows, he said.
Prizes for the Jumbo Stampede will go to the top finishers in each age category, as well as to those with more unusual achievements, including best individual costume, best team costume and most school spirit, according to Snitow.
The Jumbo Stampede is open to participants of all ages and physical abilities, and runners have one hour to complete the race. Runners will start the 3.1−mile race on the Ellis Oval track and run toward Powderhouse Boulevard. The route veers onto campus and winds through the Residential and Academic Quads before retreating back toward the track for a final lap.
Last year's race took place on a holiday weekend, preventing those who were out of town from participating in the race. Snitow expects up to 300 runners this year. Still, she expects to see fewer participants because of the conflicting races.
"I do think we're going to lose people to the 5k because [the SHC] advertised their date early," Snitow said.
The TUAA has no control over the date of the Jumbo Stampede, which is based entirely on the Homecoming schedule, according to Snitow. The Athletics Department sets the date of Homecoming two to three years in advance, which rendered the overlap unavoidable, according to Snitow.
Mark Alston−Follansbee, executive director of the SHC, said that the organization holds its race on the first Saturday of October every year and was not aware of the Stampede running concurrently. "I haven't thought about it," Alston−Follansbee said.
The SHC expects over 1,000 runners, he said, adding that many of the participants take part in the race out of a love for running, rather than a desire to contribute to the SHC's fundraising efforts.
