Chick-fil-A Connect Race Series of Starkville will feature a 10K, 5K and one mile fun run to benefit Palmer Home for Children. The race will be Saturday. The 5K will begin at 8:00 a.m., and the Fun Run starting at 9:30. Both the start and finish of the race will be at The Starkville Daily News office
Jenna Whitmire, marketing director for the Starkville Chick-fil-A, said she wants this to be an experience where the whole community of Starkville comes together in a unifying event. 
“I want it to be something where we can all, regardless of our different backgrounds and our different opinions, get behind Palmer Home,” Whitmire said. “I want it to be something that we can stand together and say, ‘This is what Starkville is about.’”
Whitmire said the female and male winner of the 10K and 5K will win 52 No. 1 meals, and whichever sorority and fraternity registers the most runners or volunteers will receive coupons for free Chick-fil-A. 
“There will also be a spirit award, and the one chosen will also receive Chick-fil-A for a year,” Whitmire said.
Whitmire said there will be around 16 age brackets, and medals will be awarded in each as part of the event.
She said a free family fun zone will also be part of the day’s activities.
“We’ll have bounce houses, and all of our sponsors are setting up booths,” Whitmire said. “We want people to come and hang out. All the cows are going to be out, there’s going to be music, and it’s going to be a great time for the whole family.”
Katharine Hewlett, marketing and public relations manager of Palmer Home, said Palmer Home appreciates Chick-fil-A taking initiative to publicly support the ministry.
Hewlett, who has worked for Palmer Home for nearly two years, said Palmer Home’s goals are to provide superior residential care and to show God’s love to the children. Palmer Home wants to serve as many children as it can through a variety of services.
“It’s really important that the community gets behind Palmer Home. A lot of our donors have been donating for a long time. Community support for the organization is what helps keep us going,” she said. “We like to focus on the four key areas of the child, which are Educational, physical, emotional and spiritual needs. The life changing experience for the children is the reason we are so passionate about what we do.”
Amanda Butts, host development representative at Connect Ministries, said the Chick-fil-A races are held in local communities all over the country for the restaurant to make connections with the community and provide a fitness aspect to the restaurant.
“We have a relationship with Jon Munger, the Starkville Chick-fil-A operator, and contacted him about the opportunity,” Butts said. “As a whole, we are here as an actual ministry, called Connect Ministries, as the event management company behind the race. Our goal is to connect the church to the community. For this race specifically, First Baptist Church, Crosspoint Church and the Baptist Student Union have partnered with us for the ministry aspect of the race to be volunteers on event day.
To register as a runner or volunteer, visit CFAraceseries.com or contact Jenna Whitmire at 324-4460.