Jingling in the holidays
Every year, the SRC hosts the Jingle Bell Jog, an event for faculty and staff to show off their holiday spirit and donate to local charities.
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way — to the finish line.
That was the motto for more than 200 participants in the 24th annual Jingle Bell Jog on December 5. The holiday tradition, sponsored by UNC Campus Recreation, challenged faculty and staff to run 2.7 miles or walk 1.5 miles to kick off the holiday season.
Fun-runners and walkers were eligible to win raffle prizes by donating goods to the Glenwood Elementary Family Assistance Program and pet donations to the Orange County Animal Shelter. In total, roughly 150 pounds of food was donated to GEFAP and an additional $300 worth of pet supplies was donated to OCAS.
Lauren Mangili, Associate Director for Campus Recreation and long-standing organizer of the Jingle Bell Jog, was pleased with the donations collected.
“It is nice to know that the donations that we are collecting really make a great impact on the organizations,” she said. “We have developed a relationship with these organizations and they appreciate the support from the university community.”
Departments from all over campus competed by choosing team names and dressing up in their most festive attire. Choice outfits ranged from a gift-wrapped headpiece to the Grinch sporting a Duke University Basketball jersey. Four-legged quadrupeds showed up to walk too.
The race was not officially timed, but there were plenty of participants. The Office of University Counsel’s team, laughingly-named “Yule Be Hearing from My Attorney,” was the most creative team and tied, Mangili said, for most runners/walkers with “Housing is the Best Present” (from the Department of Housing and Residential Education) and “The Good Government People” (from the School of Government).
