Justin McCandless, of Center Township, along with Tanner McCandless, 1, cross the finish line during the first half-kilometer Turtle Trot at Alameda Park in 2023. Butler Eagle File Photo

The YWCA is hosting its second annual Turtle Trot 0.5K race Sunday, Aug. 25, at noon at Alameda Park, Butler Township.

Participants will race 1,640 feet to raise money to support YWCA programs to help young women in poverty across Butler County.

“We created it as a way for the community to get together to have a lot of fun and to support a really good cause,” YWCA executive director Elizabeth Short said. “There’s a lot of 5Ks out there, and this kind of riffs on that.

“As a 0.5K, we call it ‘a race for the rest of us.’ It’s a family-friendly event; anyone can participate, and it’s a time for anyone to come and join us for a fun Sunday afternoon.”

The Turtle Trot was created “for folks who are not ready to go the extra mile. In fact, they aren’t even willing to go a mile at all, and barely even a quarter mile. But our 0.5K’ers are willing to be silly and have a little bit of fun while raising money to help YWCA Butler offer programs that serve women living in poverty,” the race’s official sign-up page said.

The cost of entry is $20. In addition to racing, participants can play backyard games, take selfies, and enjoy beer or root beer at the Oddfellows Shelter after crossing the finish line.

“We say that this event is all about the fun, but we’re serious about the end result and that is raising money for our association’s programs that assist women living in poverty,” Short said.

One such program is a 16-week program for women in generational or situational poverty and is an opportunity for program members to take stock of their circumstances and plan for a more stable, successful life.

At the halfway mark, runners can enjoy free cake and fun stations along the way. Returning favorites include the “armchair athlete” event, where contestants play a bit of basketball, hockey and football from a chair. A new station this year is one featuring adoptable animals. The YWCA partnered with the Butler County Humane Society to create a station where the humane society will bring their adoptable animals for participants to pet.

Attendees are encouraged to dress up in costumes, with prizes given at the costume contest for individual and group costumes.

The trot is still taking registrations. Children age 5 and younger are free, and youths ages 6 to 12 are $15 per person. Participants age 13 and older are $20 per person.

The second annual YWCA Turtle Trot will be Sunday, Aug. 25. Submitted Photo