DAPHNE, Ala. — Exercise, hamburgers, music and good old-fashioned community fellowship will abound in Olde Towne Daphne during the Supporting Educational Enrichment in Daphne’s Schools’ Classic Rock 5K and Fun Run on March 1.

The race begins at 8 a.m. and will end at the Daphne Public Library following a course down Main Street and circling through Olde Towne Daphne, according to organizers.

The fun run will begin at 9 a.m. in front of Centennial Park and end at the library—approximately one mile.

“We already have 1,000 students registered,” Carriann Too-mbs, an event coordinator, said.

“Some of the teachers have even challenged the preschoolers and their parents in the fun run.”

Both races have age categories from 9 and under to 70 through 99. Advanced registration before Feb. 28 costs $15 for the 5K and $10 for the fun run.

Fees include a T-shirt and student 5K participants may register for no charge.

Register online at Active.com or call 656-SEED for more information.

The event will include live music, arts and crafts, face painting and children’s games from 8:30 to 11 a.m., Denise D’Oliveira, SEEDS communications coordinator, said.

There’ll also be freshly grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, she said.

The awards ceremony will be at 9:30 a.m. and will keep with the classic rock theme.

“Top awards have been donated by the National Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, whose president is a former resident of Daphne,” she said.

Neighborhood participation would bring the event home, she said.

“We encourage people who live along the track to bring out boom boxes in their yards. Drink your orange juice and play your classic rock compact disks for the runners,” she said.

The goal is both to strengthen community bonds and to raise money for classroom enrichment, Toombs said.

“It will be a community event. The whole community comes out and supports the schools and one another,” she said.

Ruth Seawell, SEEDS president, agreed that fellowship is an important part of the event.

“It gives an opportunity to see our neighbors and business owners and gather right there by city hall,” she said.

Family festivities are free, but registration and food collections go directly to the classrooms, organizers said.

Money will support the teacher’s grant program, where teachers submit proposals to fund creative projects, Ashley Hammond, an event coordinator, said. Such materials include digital cameras and Promethean Boards, interactive dry-erase devices.

SEEDS has provided these grants for the past three years; each year the amount of money has doubled, D’Oliveira said.

“Over the last three years we’ve given $48,500, all for things above and beyond the standard curriculum,” she said.

One dollar from every student fun-run registration goes to that student’s home-room class. The class with the most registrations per school will also receive a pizza party, she said.

Organizers want a successful and fun family event that will bring in much needed funds.

“We want to have record numbers this year,” Toombs said. “It’s a neat event to celebrate our schools, children and families.”

“It’s a great opportunity to celebrate our community as well as get out and get active at the beginning of the spring,” Seawell said.