West Ashley High’s DECA chapter puts on fundraiser event for the community
by Donnie Newton | Contributing Writer
For the fifth year in a row, West Ashley High School’s DECA chapter will host the Dash Thru the Den 5K on Saturday, May 18th at 9 a.m. The run / walk, planned and executed entirely by DECA students, leads participants on a tour of the entire campus as they make their way through the race course. The student group is looking for West Ashley High students and staff as well as families and members of the West Ashley Community and beyond to take part in this year’s event.
The Dash Thru the Den 5K serves as a fundraiser for the students in DECA so that they can attend the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) each year. This year’s conference was held in Orlando, FL from April 26th – May 1st. For more info on DECA, visit www.deca.org/high-school-programs/
The event began five years ago as a way to create an annual community-wide event on the West Ashley High campus where people could come together and enjoy some fun and good times with their friends. It was also designed as a way to alleviate the cost for the students who were having to travel ICDC each year to compete. Each year the trip costs roughly $1,000 per student.
“The Dash Thru the Den is so close,” said DECA member Kimberly McCurdy. “You don’t want to miss it! Join us May 18th to help support the WAHS DECA chapter. Our organization puts on this run each year to help raise funds for the International Career Development Conference. This year almost 20,000 DECA members from all over the world were in attendance to compete in this amazing experience no one should miss!”
To sign up for the 5K, please go to runsignup.com and search Dash Thru the Den. Registration is $25. The race packet includes an official race t-shirt, a draw-string bag, Dash Thru the Den sunglasses, and a race bib.
Each year a medal is given to the top three male and female winners overall as well as the top male and female in each age group.
Walk ups the day of the race will pay $30 to sign up. On May 15th, 16th, and 17th at 7 p.m., The Drama Studio is set to perform this year’s spring musical, Beauty and the Beast. In an effort to encourage community support between multiple events, anyone who brings their ticket stub from one of the evening performances to the 5K, will be given $10 off the $30 sign up fee. Similarly, if you bring your race bib to the May 18th matinee, they will allow you preferential seating in the WAHS Auditorium.
