Runners participating in the 7th Annual Nash Dash start the 8K run Saturday on the Kansas River levee trail. Two events, the 8K and a Family Fun Run, were sponsored by Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center. The run raises funds for the center's Working to Recognize Alternative Possibilities program, which provides full-time in-school counseling to at-risk students in Douglas County secondary schools.

If warmer weather inspires you to get out and exercise for a worthy cause — in addition to better health — Lawrence offers opportunities galore to sweat for the greater good. Spring and summer are prime time for outdoor events that get people moving to help local not-for-profit agencies.

“There are a couple different categories,” says Sally Zogry, development director at Health Care Access and event coordinator of the Lynn Electric Kansas Marathon. “One is for an agency like us where it’s a major fundraising event. Then, there are lots of small runs either ‘in memory of’ or to help families of a child with a grave illness, or someone who has not survived like Megan’s Run, which went on for years. It’s an interesting way for people to raise funds for their cause.”

The marathon, a benefit for Health Care Access, scheduled this year for April 18, has grown to the second-largest running event in the state of Kansas. And like most major fundraising efforts, it takes a village to run successfully.

“We have a professional race director who determines the course and deals with all the logistics,” Zogry says. “He tells me how many volunteers we’ll need and where we’ll need them. Then, I find the volunteers and plug them in. I’ll use about 300 people this year, but I’ve used as many as 500. I use lots of groups, which works well because they’re responsible to each other, as well as to me.”

This year, the Health Care Access event will add a full marathon to its itinerary, which also includes a half-marathon, 5k and one-mile fun run/walk.

“There are a lot of people who are half-marathoners, and we’ve drawn (them) from 20 different states, consistently,” Zogry says. “Now that we’re having a full marathon, I’m getting phone calls and e-mails from people in New York, California, all over the place.”

Zogry says most entrants are drawn to the event for the foot race, not to help the clinic provide medical care to the uninsured.

“For a lot of runners, it’s nice that we’re a charity, but they’re going to run, anyway. Most, if not all, of the volunteers do it because of the cause.”

Marcia Epstein, director of Headquarters Counseling Center, says their Life Support Rally, a bicycle ride slated for June 19, promotes community participation, not competition.

“It’s not a race,” Epstein says. “We have bicycle routes so that people can do it as families and ride 6 miles. And we have 50-mile routes for the people who really like to ride distances. We also decided to add a walk along Clinton Parkway for people who wanted to participate but didn’t have a bike.”

Rally entrants can choose between a registration fee option or a “bring donations” option.

“This isn’t our major fundraiser, but it’s a good way to reach people who might not otherwise know about our center,” she says.

Douglas County administrator and cycling enthusiast Craig Weinaug, who logged 12,500 miles on his bike last year, has never missed a Life Support Rally.

“If it’s an agency I support that provides a critical social service for the community — and they’re doing something related to the bike — I’ll go do it. Now, if it’s a run or a swim, I leave that up to somebody else,” Weinaug says.

Epstein says mixing fundraising, awareness building and exercise makes sense for her agency.

“It’s a great way to combine physical and mental health because, while our center is mostly about mental health, physical health is one component of that,” she says.

Bob Sanner of the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau says organized runs, walks and bike rallies benefit local business owners, too.

“Any event — be it a convention, meeting or sporting event, especially where we bring people in from out-of-state — are great for economic development, without question,” Sanner says. “When they’re here, they have to feed themselves, obviously, and there’s usually some retail activity associated with their visit.”