Anniston Runners Club asks council to continue Woodstock 5K sponsorship as event grows

Hailey Long, sponsorship coordinator and bookkeeper and former Woodstock race director for the Anniston Runners Club, urged the Anderson City Council to continue the city’s long-running sponsorship of the Woodstock 5K, saying the event draws out-of-area visitors and benefits local tourism.

"Half the funds go to the Anniston Runners Club overall budget, and the other half goes directly to Woodstock," Long said, describing how sponsorship dollars are allocated. She told the council last year’s Woodstock 5K attracted "over 1,000 runners and several thousand more spectating," and said more than half of participants came from outside nearby communities, which she said helps promote tourism.

Long said the club recently signed a title-sponsorship agreement and that rising costs — including higher insurance premiums, advertising on television and radio, and expanded promotional spending — mean the event needs continued support to grow. She thanked the city for more than 20 years of sponsorship that the club views as a stable, essential partner.

Katie Wood, introduced as the club’s new president for 2026, attended the meeting in support of the request.

The comment enumerated the event’s community benefits, including charitable distributions: Long said proceeds support local charities and the club’s scholarship fund for middle- and high-school students. The council did not take an immediate vote on supplemental funding during the public-comment period; the item was presented as information for council consideration.