After 12 years of fundraising for SafeHomes of Augusta in the fight against domestic violence, the Jingle Jam 10K Road Race will be hosting its last race on Dec. 2 with a brand new route.
Since its inception in 2011, Jingle Jam is an established Columbia County nonprofit corporation that was created to raise funds for SafeHomes Inc., a Georgia program that targets female survivors of domestic violence across several counties.
For $50, starting at 8 a.m., racers can lace up their sneakers and don holiday costumes and gear to participate in Augusta’s well-known Christmas-themed 10K to spread cheer and community awareness.
However, in 2021, the county forced the Jingle Jam 10K to change its route from the traditional large loop, which cut through several neighborhoods.
According to Jingle Jam Founder and Race Director Goldei Limbaugh, after heavy negative feedback from participants of the race’s route change, the 10K will be shutting down as a result of Columbia County’s fast-paced growth and intense construction.
“I understand and I agree with the county’s decision of changing our route … but the original one was kind of what made Jingle Jam special,” said Limbaugh. “We ran through neighborhoods that were already decorated for Christmas, and it kind of became tradition for those residents to sit on their front porch or outside with their cups of coffee and pajamas.”
Limbaugh said some runners would even have relatives that lived within the route and showed support by holding signs and ringing bells.
“The other thing that the original route afforded us was several places to put entertainment and even musical entertainment,” said Limbaugh. “We weren’t just in residential areas, we were in some commercial areas too, so we could have a radio band or a drumline or cheerleaders, and we wouldn’t get in trouble with doing that at 8 o’clock in the morning.”
In addition to the construction, Limbaugh also said the race’s decline was also due to COVID-19 aftereffects and the declining economy.
“When people and small businesses don’t have extra money, charities and luxury services and items are the first things to go,” she said. “It takes at least $10,000 and – without enough runners – we cannot pay the bills to have this race, and if we can’t pay the bills then we don’t even have a fundraiser.”
With a mixture of bittersweet feelings, Limbaugh said she was glad for the many wonderful memories Jingle Jam gave her and so many others and thrilled at the county’s continual growth and improvement, but also sad to close the chapter on a wonderful community event.
“I think the community will be losing a really well loved and well attended event that has had such a positive impact,” she said. “Not just on the running and fitness community, but the community in general, because we brought domestic violence and made it part of the vernacular with a joyful Christmas road race.”
Taking place from the Evans Towne Center, located at 7016 Evans Towne Center Blvd., this year’s final 10K will feature special merchandise to commemorate the end, and is inviting everyone to take part in the community effort.
For the final race, Limbaugh said she hopes to have hundreds of runners participate as the county says goodbye to the holiday 10K.
To find out more or register for the last Jingle Jam 10K, visit: https://runsignup.com/Race/GA/Evans/JingleJam10K
