Newtonia to be site of 5K run

The historic Newtonia battlefield and Ritchey Mansion will be the site of a 5K run/walk on Saturday, Sept. 24.

The new event will begin at 7:30 a.m. and is open to all area runners and walkers age 10 and up. Awards will be presented to the top three male and female finishers in the following age divisions: 10-12; 13-15; 16-19; 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; and 60 and older.

The cost to enter the run is $18 through Sept. 22. On the day of the race, the registration fee is $22. Event day registration is slated for 6:30 to 7:15 a.m.

The purpose of the run is raise awareness of Newtonia's Civil War involvement, the Ritchey Mansion and the historic value of both. The 3.1-mile run will take place in the area of the Civil War battles.

The run is being held in conjunction with the Newtonia Fall Festival, which be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day. The event will include games, craft vendors, a parade at 2 p.m. and a ham and bean dinner.

The Ritchey Mansion, which was built by Matthew Ritchey before the Civil War, will be open for tours from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on that day. Guides will tell about the two Civil War battles fought in Newtonia and about the home, which was used as a hospital during those battles.

For more information about the run or to reserve a craft booth for the fall festival, call Cathy Sheehy at 417-472-3163 or 417-850-1064 or email her at belgians@jscomm.net.

The Ritchey Mansion where the run will start is located on Mill Street in Newtonia.

Proceeds from the run will benefit the Newtonia Battlefield Protection Association, a volunteer organization dedicated to maintaining the historic value of the Ritchey Mansion, the battlefield areas around Newtonia and the historic value of those battles to the Civil War.