In addition to the 12- and 24-hour relay walks and runs around the Duval County Courthouse, the Freed to Run Challenge fundraiser next month for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid also features a bicycle ride from St. Augustine to Jacksonville.
Cyclists will begin pedaling at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 24 at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center parking lot at 4010 Lewis Speedway in St. Augustine.
The 35-mile route starts in St. Johns County, heading north on U.S. 1 and then turning onto Atlantic Boulevard and San Marco Boulevard in Duval County. The route crosses the Acosta Bridge and then follows Forsyth and Clay streets to the finish line on the lawn at the courthouse at 501 W. Adams St.
Transportation back to St. Augustine for riders and their bikes is provided at about 1 p.m.
The event benefits JALA’s Shelter for Elders Endowment, which supports the growing number of people over 60 seeking help with housing issues like reverse mortgage foreclosures, scams, wrongful evictions and discrimination.
JALA President and CEO Jim Kowalski said the older adults who come to legal aid for help often are “confused, bewildered and disappointed,” facing exploitation or new challenges.
The goal is to help older residents stay in their homes and “age in place,” which also benefits their health by avoiding long-term care facilities.
Shelter for Elders is intended to create sustainable funding for legal aid, expert counsel and advocacy, supplementing grants that have not fully funded the program.
“We run out of funding before we run out of old people,” Kowalski said.
Visit freedtorun.com for more details and registration and sponsorship information.