5K run welcomes St. Patrick's Day in Naperville

The wild green wigs, sunglasses, top hats and other St. Patrick's Day attire can earn you more than attention this Saturday in Naperville - your look also could be worth a prize.

The Rotary Club of Naperville Sunrise and West Suburban Irish will sponsor a 5K Race, Run or Walk at 8 a.m., preceding the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Up to 3,000 people can enter the event, which is the area's first 5K of the season.

While the top three runners will win cash prizes, others will earn awards in several categories, including a St. Patrick's Day costume category. The top three finishers in each of the 14 age groups also will be honored, and this year's newest category is for participants 9 and younger.

All runners registering in advance will receive a running shirt. The race will follow the same route as the St. Patrick's Day parade.

Racers won't be the only people winning on Saturday. Organizers have created several ways that runners can help both local and national charities through their participation in the race, as well as actual item donations.

Proceeds from the event will support DuPage PADS, which helps the homeless; Naperville-based Little Friends, which serves individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities; and the DuPage Children's Museum.

In addition, race organizers partnered with Winged Foot Foundation to collect new or used running shoes at the race. The foundation will clean and distribute the shoes to assist student-athletes in the Chicago area.

Bins for shoe donations will be available during advance packet pickup at the Naperville Running Company, 34 W. Jefferson Ave., and on race day at the information area and Gear Check.

And for their international charitable efforts, organizers partnered with Working Bikes Chicago, which collects used bikes in working or repairable condition for shipment to the needy in the country of Lesotho in Africa. Drop-off will be from 7 a.m. to noon near Centennial Beach.