A “Miles for Smiles” 5K Run/Walk and 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk will be held on Saturday, May 14, 2016, starting from Healthy Acadia, 140 State Street. “Miles for Smiles” is an annual awareness and fundraising event to support Healthy Acadia’s Downeast Oral Health Team’s outreach in Hancock and Washington counties. The theme for this year’s event is: “Show YOUR dental spirit!” Dress in costume to impress the Miles for Smiles Tooth Fairy – you might be a tooth, a toothbrush or tube of toothpaste, a dentist, or the tooth fairy herself! Prizes for best costume(s) will be awarded.
Healthy Acadia is excited to host the third annual “Miles for Smiles” road race to raise awareness about the importance of dental health to quality of life, and to support increased dental access and education throughout the region. One of the projects currently underway is to raise awareness about the importance of oral health for pregnant women and infants. “Pregnancy and infancy are a critical time to ensure good oral health for the mother and the baby,” said Sandie Dubay, Special Projects Director with Healthy Acadia. “If a mother has a healthy mouth, her infant is more likely to have a healthy mouth. The decay-producing bacteria can spread from a parent to the baby. This can lead to early childhood cavities – a costly health problem which is often painful and embarrassing for the young child. It is important for parents to take good care of their own teeth as well as the teeth of their babies, and to see providers regularly. Finding dental health problems early makes treatment easier and less costly, and best of all is preventing problems before they start!”
Entry fee is $25 for those entering the 5K event and $15 for the 1-mile walk/run. Students under age 18 pay just $10 for either event. Register online at: www.runsignup.com/ME/Ellsworth/HAMilesforSmiles.com or contact Sandie Dubay at 667-7171 or sandie@healthyacadia.org.
Prizes will be awarded for best costume(s), with additional prizes for top runners and teams in each event. Be one of the first 100 participants to register by April 22, 2016 to reserve your sports pack. Teams must pre-register by no later than 4 pm on May 9, 2016.
Registration/check-in begins at 8 a.m. the morning of the event. No registrations will be accepted after 8:30 am. The 5K run/walk begins at 9 am; the 1-mile fun run/walk begins at 9:15 am. The run/walk will start and finish at Healthy Acadia’s office located at 140 State Street in Ellsworth and include a scenic loop along the Shore Road.
For more information about the “Miles for Smiles” Run/Walk and dental health programs supported by Healthy Acadia, contact Sandie at Healthy Acadia: 207-667-7171 or sandie@healthyacadia.org.