You read that right. Usually, fisherfolk hold fishing tournaments and such when they want to raise dough for a good cause. Running for them is like, well, fish out of water.
But in a bid to broaden its reach, the Maryland chapter of Trout Unlimited is having a "Restoration Run" on Sunday, Nov. 14 to raise funds for repairing the Jones Falls and other degraded watersheds in the state.
Jay Boynton, the TU chapter's treasurer and a runner himself, said members thought a run would be a great way to bring some different people out and "expose them to something other than just fishing." In other words, anglers aren't the only ones who care about the health of our waters -- and here's a chance to show it.
The 5K race starts out at 8 a.m. at Meadowood Regional Park on Falls Road near its intersection with Greenspring Valley Road. The course goes down Falls a bit before cutting over to Hillside Road and back north on Greenspring Avenue. The Jones Falls, the initial object of the fund-raiser, will be just steps away.
Boynton said funds raised by the run are to go to stream restoration projects. First on the chapter's list is a stretch of the Jones Falls with a channelized stream bank. The group hopes to reestablish trout habitat there, partly because they like to catch (and release) trout, but also because trout, especially sensitive to pollution and habitat degradation, are a bellwether of stream health.
The run is open to the public. Registration is $30 until Saturday (Nov. 6), then $35 next week and $40 on the day of the run. To sign up, or to donate, go here.