Honeybee Festival supports local schools

By John Underwood / john@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 11/28/18

ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — There will be something for everyone on Saturday, Dec. 1 when the Central Baldwin Education Foundation hosts its annual Honeybee 5K and 1-mile fun run, followed by the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Subscribe to continue reading. Already a subscriber? Sign in

Get the gift of local news. All subscriptions 50% off for a limited time!

You can cancel anytime.
 

Please log in to continue

Log in

Honeybee Festival supports local schools

Posted

ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — There will be something for everyone on Saturday, Dec. 1 when the Central Baldwin Education Foundation hosts its annual Honeybee 5K and 1-mile fun run, followed by the Honeybee Festival at Honeybee Park in Robertsdale.

For the seventh straight year the festival will be a fundraiser for the Central Baldwin Education Foundation, which will run its Honeybee 5K and 1-mile run/walk for the ninth straight year.

Normally held the first Saturday in October, last year’s festival was rescheduled following the threat of a storm to coincide with Robertsdale’s Christmas Parade, which is held the first Saturday in December.

“We had such great success last year holding the festival in December that we decided to go ahead and move the festival to December,” said CBEF Vice President Jennifer Shipp.

Because of park improvements which have limited electrical access to the south end of the park, Shipp said, the festival will largely be held at the north end of the park, which has not been affected by construction. Next year’s festival should be able to encompass the entire park.

The festival was held for 10 years as a fundraiser for the Robertsdale Volunteer Fire Department. During a transitional phase seven years ago, the department decided to postpone the festival, during which time the newly formed Education Foundation was planning its second Honeybee 5K. With the help of the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, the CBEF revived the festival the following year.

This year, Shipp said, more than 90 vendors have responded so far to provide food and arts & crafts for the festival.

“This is just such a great event for the central Baldwin feeder pattern,” Shipp said. “We’ve got a lot of new food vendors this year that we’ve never had before. We’re just hoping for great weather and hoping that everyone can come out and have a good time for a great cause.”

The Honeybee Festival 5K begins at 8 a.m. with awards presented at 10 a.m. You can register online at evensi.us. Registration and early packet pickup for the run will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30 and from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1 at the George P. Thames Senior Center, 22651 E. Chicago St. Packet and event T-shirt pick-up will begin at 7:30 with race time set for 8 a.m., followed immediately by the 1-mile walk/run.

Festivities begin with the National Anthem at 7:45 a.m. and presentation of colors 7:50.

Awards will be handed out for first, second and third place, overall male and female finishers, along with overall awards for male and female juniors, masters, grand masters and senior masters. Awards will also be given in 14 age groups for the one-mile run/walk beginning with 0-7 and running through 71-plus.

Race day registration costs $20 for adults (19 and over), $15 for students (19 and under).

Live entertainment begins with Brigham Cason from 8 to 9:30. A martial arts demonstration by Tucker’s Tang Soo Do will be held from 9:45 to 10 a.m. with Cody Green from 10:45 to 11:45, Wylie Pete from noon to 1 p.m. and Ethan Giles from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

As in previous years, the event will showcase local schools with several booths, performances by the Elsanor Choir from 9:30 to 9:45 a.m.; RHS cheerleaders from 10:40 to 10:45; and RHS Theater from 11:45 to noon; and a kids’ area featuring bounce houses and a variety of games.

Little Miss Honeybee and her court will also be introduced at the festival beginning at 10 a.m. Awards will be presented on the main stage from 10:10 to 10:45 a.m.

The Central Baldwin Education Foundation was formed in 2008 with the help of the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, as a way to support Robertsdale High School and its feeder schools, including the South Baldwin Center for Technology, Central Baldwin Middle School and the area’s six elementary schools, Robertsdale, Loxley, Silverhill, Summerdale, Elsanor and Rosinton schools.

In 2009, the CBEF began giving out grants to qualifying teachers at the various schools. Grants have also been given to fund tutoring programs for local schools and the organization has also given scholarships to local students.

For more information visit the Central Baldwin Education Foundation’s page on Facebook or visit cbef.org.