February 08, 2024 | CitrusTV online article Juice and Java

In honor of Valentine’s Day, Community Options is putting on their annual Cupid’s Chase 5K in support of locals with disabilities. Our Olivia Rodriguez is at the race now.

Olivia: Hi there, Coralana! Now, as you can see, it is a beautiful winter day out here in Liverpool, which is perfect conditions for today’s event. Community Options is currently inviting runners, walkers, and rollers to participate in today’s 17th annual Cupid’s Chase 5K.

The event is raising money to make a difference in the lives of local people with disabilities. Now, Syracuse isn’t alone—this race is currently taking place in 48 cities across 13 states. We actually spoke with two local runners who told us a little bit about how today’s event is impacting the community.

Runner 1: “We have a really big running community in Syracuse, so to have a group come out—there’s, I think, about 270 people here on a cold morning like this—it’s really great to see.”

Runner 2: “Yeah, I mean, I don’t run often, but I know that her group is a big group, and they come to a lot of these, so we’re happy to be here and support whenever we can.”

Every February, the national race raises funds and awareness to support housing and employment for people with disabilities. The event today has a focus on accessibility and inclusivity, with pet-friendly options and runners ranging in age from 12 to 70 years old.

Now, actually, if you look behind me right now, we might be able to catch a couple of runners out here today. It’s just so cool and inspiring to see people coming out on this wonderful day to support a good cause and get a little bit of exercise.

I don’t know about you guys, but with all this hype around the Super Bowl, this is the race—this is the event—that I’m excited about today!