Naperville GLOW run celebrates literacy, Jeanine Nicarico

The streets of Naperville once again will be aglow this weekend with the spirit of Jeanine Nicarico.

The 15th annual GLOW (Give Literacy the Opportunity to Win) Run for Reading steps off at 8:15 p.m. Saturday at Fifth Avenue and Ellsworth Street to raise money for the Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Literacy Fund.

Jeanine was a 10-year-old Naperville girl who struggled with reading before a teacher turned her on to the joy of tackling books about subjects that interested her. She was kidnapped and murdered in 1983.

As recently as Thursday, 100 spots remained for Saturday's event, which can handle 2,000 participants. Walk-in registration and packet pick up can be completed at the Naperville Running Company at 34 W. Jefferson Ave. in downtown Naperville and costs $40 for adults and $35 for children 12 and younger.

Established in 1996, the fund will have generated $400,000 for reading programs at public and private schools in the Naperville area, including those in Naperville Unit District 203 and Indian Prairie Unit District 204.

Race Director Tracey Nelson said this year's distribution will push the fund just past the $400,000 mark.

"It truly is amazing to think of how many of our children have been helped over the years with $400,000," Nelson said. "The community support continues to be overwhelming, even 15 years into the event. We're proud of that."

This year, Ellsworth, Elmwood and Brookdale elementary schools, Turning Pointe Autism Foundation, All Saints Catholic Academy, all Naperville Unit District 203 middle schools and the DuPage County Children's Advocacy Center were selected as recipients of a combined $30,000 in grant money from the fund established in honor of Jeanine.

A new addition to this year's event will be a wave starting system that features staggered starts of small groups instead of one giant start for all participants. Runners are placed in waves with other runners with a similar pace in an effort to produce a less congested race route.

Nelson said schools have begun forming teams and competing to have the most participants representing their building to win an author visit during the school year. Along with overall awards for the male and female winners, awards are given to the "most glowed-out" individual and team and to the top high school and junior high teams.

Glow sticks, glow hats and glow crowns will be sold before the nighttime race for any runners needing some last minute flair.

Following the race there will be food and beverages provided by local restaurants and entertainment by the band Tres Mustache.