The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi and fellow local community members with a passion for fun and fitness showed up 200 strong at the 10^th Annual Light Up The Rez 5K and Turtle Trot Friday, June 6.

Community Health Outreach Manager Shelby Brueck has helped organize this event each year it’s been held and was thrilled by the number of participants this year. “We had 259 people preregister between the Turtle Trot and the 5K, and that’s the most participation we’ve ever had. I saw a lot of walk-ups tonight, so I’m thinking we’re going to have a record-breaking year.”

A setting sun and a bit of drizzly weather set an overcast tone for the registration portion of the event, but that didn’t stop folks from gathering under umbrellas in their bright green runner’s T-shirts and excitedly preparing for the two races. Nutritious snacks and hydration stations ensured everybody was fueled properly, music inspired people to stretch and move their bodies, and fun accessories like neon face paint and glowsticks were provided for participants who glowed (literally!) with excitement.

The Turtle Trot spanned a mile, crossing by the Department of Public Works before looping around the Mishkoswen Road cul-de-sac. Younger children and their families made up the majority of the Turtle Trot participants, and whether groups stuck together or raced each other through the end, cheers were there to greet them at the finish line.

Up next was the 5K, which took its participants past nearly all of the NHBP administrative buildings on The Rez, past the Pine Creek, and through all sorts of walking trails that were illuminated by torches and multicolor spotlights, and decorated with inspirational posters to hype up runners and make them laugh as they conquered each mile. “We have added more stuff throughout the course, more flagging tape, more tiki torches, we’re using the Pow Wow lighting this year,” Brueck commented.

The first-place overall title was claimed by Julian Borst, who completed the 5K in just under seventeen minutes. He was followed by fellow fast racers such as Hannah Klein, who completed the race in 20 minutes and 35 seconds, finishing first in the women’s category, and the trend of both traveling in groups and competing with other runners continued. It was almost completely dark by the time the last group crossed the finish line, but smiles all around lit up The Rez just as brightly as the glowsticks did!

To view results of the race, click here

To view photos from this event, please click the following link: Light up the Rez 2025