Non-profit organization Karen’s Closet, which provides new clothing and school supplies to Leominster public school students in need, has opened the registration for their 2018 5K race which will take place on Sunday, October 28, at noon, at Columbia Tavern, 28 Manning Avenue, Leominster. The team at Karen’s Closet is grateful for the support of Gregg Lisciotti of Lisciotti Development, sponsor for the fifth consecutive year, and to Andy Rome and Wayne Beauregard of Columbia Tavern.

Karen’s Closet is named in honor of Karen DeCisero, whose life was marked with great accomplishments despite the constant challenges that her Down Syndrome and heart defect presented. Organizers started with the goal of providing public school students in need with new winter coats. They soon recognized that a coat was just the beginning in addressing a much greater, more complex issue – how financial troubles negatively affect a student’s interest in, and performance at, school. Karen’s Closet is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization. Since the organization began in 2012, it has supplied more than 5,000 items of clothing, 250 pairs of shoes, and 500 personal hygiene products to an estimated 2,700 students. It has also supplied funding for after-school activities, school supplies and prom tickets for students that could otherwise not afford these things.

The organization, which receives no government funding, has a fundraising goal of $30,000 to ensure it can carry out its mission effectively. To register, visit thedriven.net/karenscloset5k. Those that register by October 19 will receive a tech t-shirt. In the spirit of the season, costumes are highly encouraged. The costume with the most likes on Karen’s Closet’s Facebook page will win a prize.