Fresno State’s Sports Psychology Club is preparing for a super weekend.
The club is hosting its Super Fun Super Run at 8 a.m. Saturday near the North Gym in which participants are encouraged to dress up as their favorite superhero.
The club said the “super” theme is intended to bring awareness to two causes — the Way of Life Sports Foundation for adults and kids with special needs and Melissa Carleton, a Fresno social worker and marriage and family therapist who fell into a coma six months ago after suffering a seizure.
Way of Life hosts a local co-ed baseball team, but its baseball equipment was stolen from its equipment storage unit. The first 50 participants who bring new or used baseball hats, bats or gloves will receive a free T-shirt.
Half of the 5K run’s proceeds will support Carleton’s recovery from the coma.
“As a family, we believe that people who practice goodness will receive back the same goodness,” said Carleton’s father, Fresno State history professor Dr. John Farrell.
“That is true for Melissa, and it will be true for all those who contribute to the Fun Run in any way.”
Farrell will be on Mary Castro’s KFSR 90.7 show Sunday morning and will make an appearance at the run.
Lacey Escamilla, Sport Psychology Club president, said club members are excited to have the run on campus and will be decked out in their superhero attire.
“The theme comes in, because we think these two groups are superheroes,” Escamilla said.
Dr. Dawn Lewis, the Sport Psychology Club’s adviser and a kinesiology professor, said the club members and students started off with the idea of using the run to raise funds for their club.
Plans changed, and the club decided to use Saturday’s run as a fundraiser for community causes.
“I can’t ask for anything better from my students,” Lewis said.“It’s really so in line with our university’s mission for community service and community support. Sometimes, it’s not that we do big things; it’s little things.”
The club will provide light snacks like apples, oranges and water during the run.
Those interested can like the Facebook event page set up for the Super Fun Super Run. There is also a “Support Melissa Carleton” Facebook page and a Way of Life webpage.
Participants can register on active.com or come on Saturday starting at 6:30 a.m. and register for $20.