The TCU chapter of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority is hosting its 15th annual Fall Breakaway 5-kilometer run on Sunday.
The sorority holds the run to support Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) as their official philanthropy event each year. Kappa Alpha Theta philanthropy chair and junior graphic design major Laura Hicklin said that the event had a total of 1,800 participants last year, and 1,600 participants signed up for this year.
“It’s our only philanthropy event of the year because it raises so much money,” said Hicklin. “We actually raise more money than a lot of our other Theta chapters across the nation.”
The sorority tries to hold the event over TCU Family Weekend each year so that family members of students can participate as well, Hicklin said. She said she was initially worried when the sorority changed the run from Saturday to Sunday.
“We were just scared that… if there was too much of a time crunch we wouldn’t be able to advertise as much for it as we usually do,” Hicklin said. “Our event is in Fort Worth Weekly and we put posters up all around campus. We were just scared because the fall is just kind of our time for this event.”
Kappa Alpha Theta has supported CASA, which pairs children with advocates in the court system, for 15 years.
“All of the proceeds for the run, all of the sponsorships, everything that people pay to participate goes straight to CASA,” Hicklin said. “It’s Theta’s national philanthropy. There are actually a lot of girls in our chapter right now whose moms are advocates in the system.”
The event is also held in memory of former TCU Kappa Alpha Theta member Tracy Clark.
The runners will be split up into age groups. Hicklin said that winners from each age group receive a prize. Gift cards to popular businesses and restaurants are on the list of prizes for younger age groups, while a two-night stay in Boca Raton will serve as the grand prize for the older age group. The Fall Breakaway sign up will be available on-site the day of the run in the parking lot of the TCU soccer field.
