PREPARATIONS for this year’s Digicel Foundation 5K Night Walk/Run are now in high gear with a strong contingent from Corporate Jamaica throwing support behind the fund-raising event, scheduled for this Saturday.

The special needs sector is set to benefit from the road race as the Digicel Foundation’s theme is “Shine your light on Special Needs”.

The light is shining brightly, with a 30 per cent increase in registered participants over last year’s figure.

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) is among the companies involved in this year’s 5K event. In addition to registering a team of 55 participants to support this worthy cause, the light and power company has also carried out work such as chopping trees and replacing light bulbs along the 5K route in preparation for the Walk/Run.

Kelly Tomblin, Chief Executive Officer at JPS, was full of anticipation for the fundraiser. “JPS is excited to participate in any event that provides support to persons with special needs. I participated in this event last year and really enjoyed it. It is a great community event for a worthy cause.”

A strong showing of corporate entities from downtown Kingston is also evident with GraceKennedy Limited fielding 60 representatives. Others include Bank of Jamaica, CGM Gallagher Insurance Brokers, Prime Asset Management, WIHCON Limited, Institute of Jamaica, the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, the Jamaica Observer and the Urban Development Corporation. Additionally, just under 250 clubs have registered for the 5K Walk/Run this year.

“We at the Foundation are just really grateful for the level of support we are receiving this year from Corporate Jamaica,” exclaimed a pleased Samantha Chantrelle, Executive Director of the Digicel Foundation. “We really do appreciate the tremendous effort and willingness by the various companies which will go a far way to assist members of our special needs community.”

The race is set to get under way on Ocean Boulevard, at Digicel’s downtown Kingston headquarters beginning at 7:00 pm on Saturday.

The recently signed Digicel Ambassador and Paralympian, Alphanso Cunningham, is among those set to participate in the event, as he will be the honorary starter for the wheelchair category. Olympian Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will set off the runners, and dancehall artist Tifa will start the walkers.

Presentation of prizes will follow immediately after the race which will be chip timed using the Mylaps Bib Tag system. Some of the sponsors this year include the Jamaica Observer, CVM, IRIE/ZIP, KLAS, Catherine’s Peak, Sports Max, Hot 102, Marksman, KSAC and Island Grill.

The 2013 Digicel Foundation 5K Night Run/Walk marks the second staging of the event, which is geared towards raising much-needed funds to support 11 special needs schools and organisations. These are: NAZ Children’s Centre, Genesis Academy, the STEP Centre, Mustard Seed Communities, Liberty Academy, the Jamaica Association on Intellectual Disabilities, Early Stimulation Plus, Jamaica Autism Support Association, Jamaica Association for the Blind, Jamaica Association for the Deaf and the Jamaica Downs Syndrome Foundation (JDSF).