The Coloradoan
05/26/2011

The 19th annual Houska Houska 5K Memorial Day run/walk will be from 9 a.m. to noon Monday starting and ending at Houska Automotive, 899 Riverside Ave.

The race is organized each year as the Fort Collins answer to the Bolder Boulder. Instead of creating a competitive road race event, however, the Houska family designed the Houska Houska as a community fundraiser, benefiting the Bone Marrow Program and the new Poudre Valley Cancer Center.

The 2011 race honors Garrett Karp, a Rocky Mountain High School graduate who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2009 and is continuing his recovery today.

While the cause is a serious one, the Houska Houska is intended to be a fun way to start Memorial Day. This year’s theme, “Saturday Night Alive” encourages Houska Houska participants to dress as their favorite characters from the popular late-night television comedy show.

“The Houska Houska is a community celebration — the only real race element is the race to fight cancer,” said Dennis Houska, second-generation owner and president of Houska Automotive. “Our way of helping battle a deadly disease is to have fun while we raise funds — laughter and joy are great motivators for people to come out and give back. The Saturday Night Alive theme provides the community with some added inspiration and encourages participants to bring a sense of humor along with them to the starting line.”

In addition to the 5K run/walk, the Houska Houska is host to a finish-line party, complete with hot dogs and drinks, games and activities for the kids, live entertainment and a costume contest for the best Saturday Night Alive-style costume for adults, children and dogs.

Pre-registration for the Houska Houska is available through 4 p.m. Friday. Online registration is available via www.HouskaAutomotive.com or in person at Houska Automotive or Runner’s Roost (Front Range Village at Ziegler and Harmony roads). Race day registration begins at 8 a.m. with packet pickup for pre-registered participants also at 8 a.m. Registration costs vary.

For more information, visit www.HouskaAutomotive.com.