The 7th annual Holiday Hustle 5K run is being held on Saturday, Dec. 1. 

The race is hosted by a group of students working to raise money for One Stop Community Christmas — a charity devoted to helping those in need during the holiday season in the surrounding seven counties: Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Moultrie and Shelby. 

Katie Ervin, the executive director of the Holiday Hustle committee and a senior accounting major, said One Stop Community Christmas is a group effort.

“One Stop Community Christmas is a coalition of everybody coming together to help families who need help during the holiday season,” Ervin said.

Ervin said the event, and the organization, are both recent creations.

 “It is still a relatively new organization,” Ervin said. “It was created because organizations in the area such as churches or other non-profits, who normally held toy drives and other similar fundraisers in the past, realized they were all doing this awesome work and could do so much more if they combined forces and did everything together.” 

As a result of the merger, families can now go to one location and receive everything they need during the holidays such as presents, wrapping paper, toys, toiletries, clothing, etc., hence the name “One Stop.”

Sami Boomgarden, the executive director of the Holiday Hustle committee and a senior psychology major, said the run has been increasing in population.

“The Holiday Hustle has grown each year,” Boomgarden said. “Two years ago we raised $1800 and had 80 runners, and last year we raised $2600 and had over 100 participants. This year, I’m projecting we will raise above $3000 with a record-setting number of runners.” 

Boomgarden said students on the committee are very excited to see the upward trend continue in both donations and race participants. 

A majority of the donations raised by the Holiday Hustle come from local businesses in the Charleston/Mattoon area, Boomgarden said.

“The businesses are always willing to support us and our cause,” Boomgarden said. “I feel as if we are becoming more of a name in the community, and therefore businesses are more willing to work with us.”

The remainder of the donation money gathered comes from registration fees and fundraisers that the Holiday Hustle committee hosts. 

Boomgarden and Ervin said they encourage all students to participate in the race by either running, walking or volunteering as a way to give back to their college community. 

“We spend so much time in this community, and the community supports us as college students which sometimes makes it hard for us to give back,” Boomgarden said. “The Holiday Hustle is a great way to begin giving back to our college community and start building relationships with the people we don’t see everyday.”

If students are interested in becoming a volunteer or race participant, applications are available at www.eiuholidayhustle.wordpress.com and the EIU Holiday Hustle Facebook page. 

Runners also have the option to show up Saturday morning and register before the race. 

Registration opens at 8:00 a.m. in front of Old Main with the Kids Dash beginning at 8:30 a.m. The 5K race starts after an opening ceremony at 9:15 a.m.

Faith Morris can be reached at 581-2812 or at fdmorris@eiu.edu.