CARP – West Carleton’s premier race is only two-and-a-half weeks away.

The 23rd annual West Carleton Medical-Dental Centre and West Physio Diefenbooker Race is ready to go Saturday, May 4 and nearly 1,000 participants are expected to take part in their choice of several different runs, walks and cycling events.

Diefenbooker committee member Kathy Fischer said there’s a lot of reasons the event has grown to be so popular.

“It’s a beautiful event,” she told West Carleton Online last week. “You get to run through the Diefenbunker blast tunnel which is really neat. Coming down Falldown Lane, that’s always fun. Even just the name is fun. There really isn’t anything like this with a multitude of different routes, a nice variety of terrain and it’s just before Ottawa Race Weekend. It’s getting bigger and bigger and there are so many options.”

There are five and 10 kilometre running races, a five km walk, five, 18 and 33 km cycle tours and several youth events and even a team event.

The race was originally created as a fundraiser for the Carp Library. The library is now a part of the Ottawa Public Library, but the Diefenbooker is still dedicated to literacy.

Funds raised go to support literacy at West Carleton schools and a bit for the library as well.

Each school is invited to submit a funding proposal for a literacy project. The Diefenbooker committee will select the winning proposals. Each proposal must include how the funds will be used, including a wish list with estimates.

“We would also like each organizer to explain how they can promote the Diefenbooker event,” Fischer said. “All the schools have sent in their proposals. A lot of schools like to bring in authors – that’s a bit cheaper than going to them. The goal is to benefit as many kids as possible.”

Each school must supply five volunteers the day of the event and this year organizers would like to see literacy project that include the indigenous community.

“The schools have really come through on that in their proposals and that’s really nice,” Fischer said.

Schools also have a shot at a $2,000 prize just by participating. Open to any school, the school with the largest number of race participants, based on a per capita formula, will awarded $2,000 for their dedication to staying active.

For more information, or to register for the Diefenbooker Race, visit their website here.