FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio — How fast can a leprechaun run? Nearly 300 people found that out Saturday morning at the 5th annual Gunselman's Tavern Leprechaun Chase 5K and 1 Mile Walk—all while supporting a good cause.
Runners and walkers arrived Saturday morning, dressed in their best greens, sporting festive St. Patrick's Day beads, hats, headbands, tutus and other festive gear. Starting at Fairview Park High School, participants set out with one goal: catch the leprechaun.
A young local dressed as the leprechaun, with a shamrock scepter in hand, took off to get the race going, with runners and walkers in quick pursuit.
The day of fun saw hundreds come out in a sea of green, but the race went beyond just a little holiday fun. The Gunselman's Tavern Leprechaun Chase 5K and 1 Mile Walk supports Empowering Epilepsy, a Beachwood, Ohio-based charity that aims to connect people with epilepsy to experts and peers for education, support, fun, events and care.
Empowering Epilepsy founder Leigh Goldie said one in 10 people will experience a seizure in their lifetime, while one in 26 people will be diagnosed with epilepsy.
"People with epilepsy speak a language that other people do not understand, so once you get connected with someone else who understands epilepsy, that connection will never go away," Goldie said. "We create a family, it's a community that we're creating and this Gunselman's Tavern Leprechaun Chase is helping us do that."
For one of Gunselman's Tavern's owners, David Grace, epilepsy awareness hits close to home and is why the race is so important to the Fairview Park restaurant owner.
"It helps take the stigma away from people with seizure disorders," Grace said. "It's near and dear to my heart. My son has epilepsy and they've been a wonderful foundation, and that's how I found it. And we just wanted to be a part of it and it's been nothing but great."
Runners and walkers had the opportunity to receive medals, plaques and other fun prizes, all representing the day of festivities and the good cause it supported.
