• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News
  • Subscribe

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds




Autism Breakthrough hosts 21-Day Virtual Challenge, Virtual 5K Race

Posted at 11:08 pm October 20, 2020
By Kay Brookshire Leave a Comment

The Volunteer CrossFit Team from Oak Ridge participated in the 2019 Breakthrough Run in honor of Gus Beehan, in the wagon, and Gus’ cousin Luke Koksal. (Submitted photo)

Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville is hosting a 21-Day Virtual Challenge November 5-25, featuring individual runs, walks and talks that replace its annual spring 5K Run for Autism.

Breakthrough is inviting the community to learn more about adults on the autism spectrum through the 21-day journey with stories from families of adults with autism and discussions with leading professionals knowledgeable in the field of autism. Its annual 5K Run will be held during the challenge, although virtually this year because of COVID-19.

“In April we made the decision to postpone our Annual 5K Run out of concern for runners’ health and safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those concerns remain present today,” race chair Happy Lee said.

“We hope you will take the challenge to run, walk, listen, and talk about issues facing adults on the spectrum today. We invite you to hear our stories and share them with friends and family each day during the challenge,” Lee added.

For the race, Breakthrough will offer three virtual 5K events: a certified course in downtown Knoxville at Tyson Park, a certified course in west Knoxville at Turkey Creek, and a “run anywhere” course. The RaceJoy app will enable participants to track time and distance for each option.

Advertisement

The 21-Day Virtual Challenge will focus on adults on the autism spectrum, a range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. Autism is estimated to affect more than 2,000 individuals of all ages in the Knoxville region. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 54 children is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

Participants may listen each day to a 30-minute audio via Zoom or listen later on Spotify, iTunes, or Anchor.fm. Those running or walking while listening are encouraged to be mindful of surroundings, wear a face covering if with a group, and practice safety protocols.

Autism Breakthrough provides residential services, in-home support, a Saturday therapeutic recreation program, day activities focusing on lifelong education, job skill development and community integration, and a social group for adults with Asperger’s syndrome. A nonprofit agency, Autism Breakthrough was founded by parents of children with autism.

To register for the 21-Day Virtual Challenge and race, go to https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Knoxville/BreakthroughVityualRunforAutism, www.breakthroughknoxville.org, or the RaceJoy app. Registration is $30 for adults and $15 for students. Those who register will receive a race t-shirt. Breakthrough encourages participants to share pictures of themselves in t-shirts on Breakthrough’s and their own social media.

Participants who registered for the 2020 Breakthrough Run before September 1 may visit the above website for their options for November. For more information, see the Autism Breakthrough website, www.breakthroughknoxville.org, or contact Kendrise Colebrooke at Breakthrough, (865) 247-0065, extension 28.

The logo for the Breakthrough Run for Autism is a “Robotz” with a mask, encouraging runners to wear masks if running with a group and to observe the COVID pandemic safety protocols. The Robotz figures, created by a Breakthrough client using electrical parts, have been awards for the Breakthrough Run’s winners in past races.

Filed Under: Community, Front Page News, Health, Recreation, Sports Tagged With: 21-Day Virtual Challenge, Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville, Breakthrough Run, Happy Lee, Kendrise Colebrooke

Advertisements

 

Join the club!

If you appreciate our work, please consider subscribing. Besides helping us, your subscription will give you access to our premium content.

Most of our stories are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our members—advertisers, subscribers, and sponsors.

But some are premium content, available only to members. Those are in-depth, investigative, or exclusive stories that are available only on Oak Ridge Today. They generally require at least four hours to report, write, and publish.

You can subscribe for as little as $5 per month.

You can read more about your options here.

We currently offer five primary subscription options to readers, and they include benefits.

Basic

  • Basic monthly subscription ($5 per month)—access premium content
  • Basic annual subscription ($60 per year)—access premium content

Pro

  • Pro monthly subscription ($10 per month)—access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month
  • Pro annual subscription ($100 per year)—save $20 per year, access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month

Temporary

  • Temporary access ($3 per week for two weeks)

We also have advanced subscription options. You can see them here.

We also accept donations. You can donate here.

If you prefer to send a check for a subscription or donation, you may do so by mailing one to:

Oak Ridge Today
P.O. Box 6064
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

Thank you for your consideration and for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support.

Commenting Guidelines

We welcome comments, but we ask you to follow a few guidelines:

1) Please use your real name, including last name. Please also use a valid e-mail address.
2) Be civil. Don't insult others, attack their character, or get personal.
3) Stick to the issues.
4) No profanity.
5) Keep your comments to a reasonable length and to a reasonable number per article.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these guidelines. Comments held for review, usually from those posting for the first time, may not post if they violate these guidelines. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Thank you also for reading Oak Ridge Today and for participating in the discussion.

More information is available here.

More Community News

Update on downtown Oak Ridge Tuesday

A city official will give an update on the proposed development of downtown Oak Ridge during a lunchtime meeting Tuesday. The presentation will be led by Wayne Blasius, director of the Oak Ridge Planning and … [Read More...]

Experience world cultures at Children’s Museum International Festival

Flamenco, Irish, and Greek dancers will be among entertainers at the International Festival on Saturday, February 26, at the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. A special guest from Ireland, musician and singer Fionan Casey, … [Read More...]

Expungements to be discussed March 1

A partner in a Knoxville law firm will discuss conviction expungement during a virtual talk sponsored by an Oak Ridge organization March 1. The information about expungement will be presented by Wade V. Davies, … [Read More...]

Breakfast with Legislators on Feb. 28

The first Breakfast with the Legislators this year is scheduled for Monday morning, February 28. The breakfast will be virtual, and it scheduled from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. It has been organized by the League of Women … [Read More...]

Supreme Court justice to discuss WWII POWs

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee will discuss the compelling stories of five American soldiers captured and held as prisoners of war by the Germans during World War II during a lunchtime meeting next week, a … [Read More...]

More Community

Recent Posts

  • Rocky Top woman pleads guilty to murder, sentenced to life
  • REAC/TS welcomes new team members: John Crapo, Josh Hayes and David Quillen
  • NASA Postdoctoral Program seeks early career and senior scientists for prestigious fellowships at its locations across the U.S.
  • ORAU names Brandon Criswell associate general counsel
  • Update on downtown Oak Ridge Tuesday
  • TVA has virtual open house for Clinch River Nuclear Site
  • Science and supercomputers at ORNL topic of Mar. 8 talk
  • First Presbyterian offers free meals & groceries on Mar. 10
  • Secret City Academy student charged with terrorism after alleged shooting, bomb threats
  • ORHS Masquers presents ‘Into the Woods’

Search Oak Ridge Today

About Us

About Oak Ridge Today
What We Cover

How To

Advertise
Subscribe

Contact Us

Contact Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2022 Oak Ridge Today