Boys & Girls Club to celebrate 10th annual Red Dog Run with downtown block party

The Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence will celebrate its tenth annual Red Dog Run fundraiser on Oct. 4 with festivities following the run, according to a news release.

The 10K, 5K and 1-mile races will start the morning off at 7:30 a.m. at Haskell Indian Nations University. There will be massages for runners, prizes and food and vendors at the event, too.

Following the race, Jefferson’s Restaurant, 743 Massachusetts St., will host an outdoor downtown block party from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on 8th Street between Vermont and Massachusetts streets. The block party will feature music, a beer garden and food benefiting the Boys & Girls Club.

Red Dog runners and volunteers will receive free entry to the block party, but everyone is invited to attend.

This will be the final year for the annual run, named after community fitness advocate Donald “Red Dog” Gardner. Ellen Young, leading volunteer of all ten annual Red Dog Runs, said this last event will be a celebration in honor of Gardner’s long-term commitment to supporting the Boys & Girls Club.