Photos Credit: Marcia Lambert

St. Luke’s, Merritt Island, is partnering with I Love My Island Inc. to support A Run Through Paradise 5K on Saturday, Sept. 25. This is the third year St. Luke’s has been involved with the fundraiser for the local charity.

I Love My Island Inc. provides and promotes resources for seniors and sponsors and supports a variety of youth activities from academics to athletics. The nonprofit offers relief to families and individuals in crisis and collaborates with others to contribute to the welfare of the Merritt Island area.

The Running Zone in Melbourne is handling the mechanics of the event, including registration and tracking the runners’ times.

The start/finish line for the course is located in St. Luke’s parking lot. In its first year, the race attracted 158 participants. Due to the pandemic, last year’s numbers were a little lower.

Nonrunners and runners alike may participate in the 5K. Some choose to walk the beautiful tree-lined route, which offers welcome relief from the summer heat. Runners finish the course in 20-30 minutes and walkers in approximately an hour.

For year one of the event, Marcia Lambert, senior warden at St. Luke’s, stayed behind to oversee the church’s various activities in conjunction with the 5K. Last year, she took to the course as a walker.

“I was determined not to finish last,” Lambert said. “OK, I finished second to last.” Participation involves much more than competition. It also includes fundraising for an important cause, taking in the natural beauty of the surroundings and enjoying the unique camaraderie of the event.

Some St. Luke’s members raise funds by walking the course; several more participate in the various ministries and activities that dovetail with the event. As the assembled crowd of participants’ friends and family await their return, volunteers from St. Luke’s make sure they have plenty to do. The church opens its historic chapel for people to enjoy and also offers tours of the cemetery with graves dating back to the 1800s.

Encompassing more than seven acres, the parish consists of three buildings and the cemetery, located near the bank of the Indian River Lagoon in a rural residential area of Brevard County. Founded in the 1870s, the parish is blessed with two beautiful churches. Both the historic chapel and the newer church are examples of the Carpenter Gothic style. The main campus also includes Perrine Hall, which serves as fellowship hall and church office.

During the 5K, quilters from St. Luke’s sell raffle tickets to raise money for the Central Brevard Sharing Center. They will bless the fortunate winner with their work of art and labor of love. The group also sells healing blankets to give to the ill and bereaved. These small blankets are wrapped with letters and prayers of compassion and encouragement. The church provides parking for the event as well.

“Supporting I Love My Island and A Run Through Paradise fits with the overall outreach mission of St. Luke’s, which is why the church also regularly contributes to the organization,” Lambert said. “It provides exposure to the church’s historic campus as well.”

“Since so many seniors had been quarantined for so long, the Christmas baskets [distributed by I Love My Island Inc.] that included everything from personal hygiene items to small gifts meant so much,” she added.

Register for the event or make a donation by going to runningzone.com. Registration fees are $27.00 for adults, $15.00 for children and $20.00 for a team. St. Luke’s is located at 5555 North Tropical Trail on Merritt Island. The run/walk begins at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25, with registration and packet pickup open at 6:30 a.m.