Free Books for Kids at Ball State Homecoming’s Chase Charlie – Kiddie 100 Dash Event

Kids Participating in the BSU Chase Charlie - Kiddie 100 Dash. Photo by Eric Klosterman.Kids Participating in the BSU Chase Charlie - Kiddie 100 Dash. Photo by Eric Klosterman.

By Eric Klosterman from Ball State’s Sport Administration Program and Stacy Wheeler from Classroom Connections of ECI —

MUNCIE, Ind.—The 21st Annual Chase Charlie Kiddie 100 Dash is partnering with local non-profit Classroom Connections of East Central Indiana (CCECI) to distribute books to children and families during the Saturday, October 23rd Ball State University homecoming football game against Miami.

“Books in the home profoundly impact children and teens, especially when books are theirs to keep,” said Stacy Wheeler, Executive Director at CCECI. “That is why children’s book distributions and ownerships of books are some of the most important, successful ways to get our youth reading at grade level. Each additional book owned at home helps them get a little further along in school and advances their skills in both literacy and numeracy that often lead to lifelong academic and career advances.”

CCECI has distributed tens of thousands of quality storybooks to area children this year. “Thanks to our community partners, including the partnership with the university, Classroom Connections of ECI can distribute up to 100,000 books this year to East Central Indiana children,” said Wheeler

The partnership between the annual Chase Charlie Races and CCECI will support literacy efforts.

The Chase Charlie – Kiddie 100 Dash is a fun run for children 13 and under during halftime of the Ball State homecoming football game. Kids line up in the north endzone and run to the south endzone. Walk-up registration for the Kiddie 100 is Saturday, October 23, from 2 pm until the end of the first quarter of the football game. Registration tables will be outside Gate 4 of Scheumann Stadium and inside the stadium along the concourse under the home seats.

The cost to participate in the Kiddie 100 Dash is $10 per child. A cotton Chase Charlie shirt is included with the registration, while supplies last. Children’s books will be available for everyone at the registration table while supplies last, even if they are not participating in the Kiddie 100. Ball State’s undergraduate Sport Administration students organize the event as part of their immersive learning class, supervised by their instructor Eric Klosterman.

“The class is excited to be partnering with Classroom Connections of East Central Indiana. One of our missions for operating the Chase Charlie Kiddie 100 is to educate and prepare children and teens for a lifetime of holistic healthy living through physical activity and literacy competency,” said assistant lecturer, Eric Klosterman. “The ability of students to plan and execute a successful event while enhancing the personal growth of Muncie children speaks highly of the collaborative partnerships Ball State has with community stakeholders.”

For more information about the event, visit www.chasecharlie.com.