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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The 3rd Annual Shamrock Shuffle 5k took place in Johnson City on Saturday to support an Appalachian-based charity that began locally.
The Southern Appalachian Ronald McDonald House Charities began with the Johnson City Ronald McDonald House in 1996, according to the organization’s website. It eventually grew to what it is today–a network of Ronald McDonald Houses across the Appalachian region, including Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Eastern Kentucky.
Saturday marked the third year of the Shamrock Shuffle 5k, which aims to raise funds for the organization, which works to provide a home-away-from-home to seriously ill children.
“Treasures like today, people coming out to support the house by the registrations, by coming out and just running for the Ronald McDonald House,” CEO of the organization Dewayne Dickens told News Channel 11. “So there’s always something that someone can give and it’s always going to go a long way to our families.”
Dickens said this year’s event drew more than 620 people who walked, ran or shuffled in support of the Southern Appalachian Ronald McDonald House Charities.
“So, being able to come out today to help just raise awareness, raise support everything that we can for the families to stay in the house, just tremendous day,” Dickens said. “It’s hard to believe we’ve got this many people coming out. This is truly the largest event that we’ve ever had, this many people to support the Ronald McDonald House. It’s just a tremendous day for us.”
