Bunny Hop 5K serving multiple purposes

Story by the RunRhody Scribe.
Contact The Scribe at: Scribe@RunRhody.com
EAST GREENWICH - Back in 2003, Peter Dion reinstated the boys' cross-country program at East Greenwich High after a 10-year hiatus from the Rhode Island Interscholastic League.
It didn't take Dion's Avengers too long to get noticed among their peers. During his nine years as the head coach, E.G. has won five Class C titles as well as a state crown in 2007.
With his new East Greenwich Track Club (EGTC) that he formed this past February and a soon-to-be youth summer track series, Dion wants to continue the momentum of his resurgent program and the equally-successful girls' team, a squad that has amassed nine Class C cross-country titles since 1997. 
One way he hopes to finance these current endeavors is with the inaugural Bunny Hop 5K and one-mile fun run. The event is set to take place on Saturday, April 14 at Goddard State Memorial Park in East Greenwich. Proceeds for the race will be used primarily to sponsor the upcoming track series on the high school grounds. 
"The whole idea behind the race is to fund the track series for the young kids so they can go at no cost," said Dion, who has also been the head boys track coach the last five years. "We need runners to run to get support. If we do it right, we should be okay."
The race will follow a sanctioned, fast terrain at Goddard Park, home to several other races of its kind throughout the year. Awards will be given to the top male and female finishers in seven different age categories. There will also be team awards, including multiple high school categories.
The fun run, open to youths between the ages of 5-14, will begin at 9 a.m. with the 5K run/walk starting at 10:30. Also featured among the day's events is an egg hunt for the little tykes at 9:30.
Registration for the race can be done online at egtrackclub.com or on racewire.com. T-shirts are guaranteed to all participants that sign up before March 14.
"If we can have a race that supports our summer series, that's our goal," Dion said. "We are a non-profit organization. It's all about keeping the balance sheet above zero."
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The 46-year-old Dion, a top hurdler for North Kingstown in the 1980s, expressed excitement in his upcoming track series, which will be held Wednesday nights during the summer months on the school's brand-new track. The series is open to youths from Pre-K to age 14. Some of the events that will be featured are the 50-meter dash for the young ones as well as the 100, 800, mile and the turbo javelin.
Several volunteers and coaches, such as Dion and girls' coach Erin Newman, will be on hand during the track meets. Ribbons will be awarded.
The track series will serve multiple purposes. In addition to exposing the youths to competition, information will also be provided by qualified individuals on exercise, diet and proper training.
A health and physical education teacher at Cole Middle School in E.G. , Dion stressed the importance of his cross-country and track and field programs, and the sport in general. 
With obesity and Type 2 diabetes experiencing a rapid climb among youths, an aerobic sport such as track and cross country is something that can diminish the numbers.
That's another reason behind his track club and next month's road race.
"I want to promote an active healthy lifestyle and get kids to be part of track and field at a young age," he said. "We are trying to give them a (tool) to do that."