VALDOSTA — The Sixth Annual Hospice Half Marathon will honor Dewey Copeland, a former patient at the Hospice of South Georgia and the Langdale Hospice House.

The half marathon is scheduled for 7 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at Georgia Christian School by the hospice advisory board. Proceeds will benefit patient care, organizers said.

Copeland’s family began the half marathon as a way to give back to hospice, said Lindsey Rogers, senior marketing specialist.

“It’s been really successful in the past, and that’s why we continue to do it,” she said.

The 2019 event will not include the annual color run, Rogers said, and participants must run the 13.1-mile long course in three hours.

“This is pretty much for seasoned runners who go around and do a lot of these half marathons across the state,” she said. “It’s for runners who have been trained for it and have endurance.”

Runners must be at least 18 years old to participate, and the entry fee is $45 until Wednesday, Jan. 9. The fee will increase afterwards.

Registration deadline is Jan. 15 to guarantee a T-shirt; however, people can still register the day of the event.

The hospice prefers online registration at runningintheusa.com or runsignup.com; but Rogers said interested participants can find a registration form on the hospice’s Facebook event page.

Organizers encourage early arrival for parking, bib number pick-up and warm ups. Snacks and water will be available.

Awards will be given to winners in each age division, Rogers said. Sponsors are being accepted until Jan. 15.

Call Marie Benefield, (229) 740-2084, or the Hospice of South Georgia, (229) 433-7000, for more information. 

Amanda Usher is a reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at 229-244-3400 ext.1274.