Raeanne Nixon and Mary Price received similar messages around the same time.

"The Lord was calling her to start a 5K for an organization, and I felt like the Lord was calling us to do a 5K," said Nixon, who is the executive director of Solid Rock Youth Ministries in Quarryville.

Nixon and Price had a chance meeting at Encounter Church. "Mary came up to me and said, 'Hey, I love your ministry, and I feel like the Lord has laid on my heart to start a 5K, and I think Solid Rock would be a good fit,'" Nixon recalled. "I looked at her and said, 'Well, that's funny. The Lord told me to do a 5K for Solid Rock."

Nixon added, "Mary wanted to do it for Solid Rock because she lived in Solanco and never knew about Solid Rock. She said the services the ministry provides would have benefited her when she was younger."

The Solid Rock 5K & Fun Run is going strong eight years after that conversation. This year's event will be held rain or shine on Saturday, Aug. 2, on the Enola Low-Grade Trail. The entrance is at 301 E. State St., Quarryville.

Registration forms are available at http://www.solidrockquarryville.com/run. Forms can be completed online or mailed to Solid Rock Youth Ministries. Teams of five or more people can save money on the entry fee. Preregistration will close at midnight on Wednesday, July 30. Registration must be received by Sunday, July 20, to be guaranteed a T-shirt and race bag. Registrations can be made as late as the morning of the race.

Packets may be picked up on Friday, Aug. 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Solid Rock Youth Ministries, 104 E. State St., Quarryville, or on the day of the race starting at 7 a.m. There will be a kids' fun run at 8 a.m. for children age 12 and under. Finishers will receive goodie bags and medals.

The 5K will start at 8:30 a.m. The overall first-place male and female finishers will receive a medal and cash prize, and the top three male and female finishers in the eight age brackets, ranging from 14 and under to 70 and over, will receive a medal. Pretzel City Sports will provide official timing.

Hitch Coffee and Wandering Donut food trucks will on-site. The food trucks will donate a portion of their proceeds to Solid Rock.

Julie Spangler has replaced Price as the race director this year. Spangler is a runner and has been involved with Solid Rock in many different capacities. "Mary is passing the baton," said Jill Hess, who is Solid Rock's advancement director.

The ministry notes that participants enjoy the morning. "It's one of the most fun events we have at Solid Rock out of all of our fundraising events," Hess said. "Even if you're not a runner, you can come and join us. We are going to have food trucks. There is just a lot of energy and excitement that happens at the 5K."

Nixon added, "It's definitely a family event. It's neat to see how people come from different walks. There are some people who come to the 5K who are running the race and competing. Each person has a different reason. Over the years, to hear people's reasons for running the 5K has been encouraging to me."

She noted that one past participant was celebrating remission from cancer. Another had just recovered from hip surgery. "Everyone has a story," Nixon said.

Solid Rock Youth Ministries, located at 104 E. State St., Quarryville, serves students in the Solanco area during the school year and over the summer by providing programs, activities, and family events. "Solid Rock is in this exciting season," Nixon said. "Solid Rock keeps on growing. This past year, we served over 400 students with the Gospel."

All the programs are free, thanks to support from community members, churches, and businesses. "By people running, they are helping us to serve these students and share Jesus with them," Nixon said.