Uptown Wadesboro, Inc. and the National Alopecia Areata Foundation have teamed up to host the inaugural Tortoise and Hair 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, Oct. 9. The event has two purposes: to bring people into beautiful uptown Wadesboro, and to raise money for alopecia areata. This disorder is a misunderstood autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. To learn more about this disease, go to www.naaf.org. 

Kristin Wells will be the VIP speaker for this race. Wells is host and contractor on HGTV's "Smart Fix." In each episode, she steps in to help homeowners who think their home improvement projects are too difficult to tackle by showing them that with expert construction and attention to design details, it's easier than they think!

As an added incentive to register early for the 5K, runners who register by Sept. 20 will get a free race T-shirt. The race registration fee is $20; however, if you wait until the day of the race the registration fee increases to $30. The 5K race starts at 8 a.m. 

Kids will not be left out of all the excitement either— there will be a One Mile Fun Run for kids 12 years of age and younger. The Fun Run starts at 7:30 a.m. and there is a $10 entry fee. Children get a shirt for participating in the Fun Run as well. 

To register for the race, you can pick up a race brochure at H.W. Little Hardware in uptown Wadesboro or register online at www.active.com.  You can also download a registration form from www.uptownwadesboro.com.  If you have questions, please call Gwen Lanning at 704-695-2944.

The Tortoise & Hair 5K Race will be held in conjunction with the 27th annual People Fest.  People Fest is a street festival that takes place every year in the heart of uptown Wadesboro.  There will be food, music, children’s activities and tons of fellowship.