It’s almost time for the Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival and with that event, the annual Fiddler 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run. This year is a milestone for the for the 5K run, marking its 15th year and welcoming more and more runners. 
Race Director Tecia Puckett Pryor told the Smithville Review that over the years the race has grown into an established eventeach year. "This is the 15th annual Fiddlers’ 5K and we’re excited that it’s grown from a race of about 100 people, to over 400 people. The local participation has increased year after year and we’ve seen a lot of kids come out for the one-mile fun run. We’re just excited to be putting it on again this year."
According to Pryor, the Fiddler 5K began as a fundraiser for the DeKalb Jaycees in 1999. "Bert Driver was the first race director," she said. "Many of us that are continuing to help now, were there in the beginning. I had helped with registration and became the race director later on. After the Jaycees disbanded, the race was then turned over to Habitat for Humanity as a fundraiser for that program."
Pryor said race is not only a fun event for all ages, but as a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity, it helps families in need. "We just finished our fourth Habitat House in DeKalb County and the proceeds from this race will go towards our fifth house.  It all goes to a good cause. It’s one of two big fundraisers for Habitat for Humanity and we count on this. 
"Habitat is a nondenominational ecumenical organization that builds houses for families that need affordable housing. The houses are built with volunteer labor, and then the houses are sold at no interest to the partner family. The partner family has to do a lot of things, sweat equity and have to participate in the building. 
"It fills the gap for those who cannot afford a conventional loan. It’s not a free house. You have to be able to afford a payment but it’s an affordable payment.  There are a certain criteria you have to meet to be selected as a partner family, but Habitat often says it’s in the business of giving a hand up, and not a hand out.  It gives people a way to become homeowners."
After 15 years, Pryor says that she has seen the race grow with more and more participants.  "The Fiddler 5K has become an established race in the Middle Tennessee area" she explained. "We have people who come from all over to participate in the race.  Some of that is with people coming in for the Jamboree, but it’s fun to see how many states we have represented. Lots of times we have international runners in the race.  I think the race is going to be especially competitive this year. Scott Fanning of Lebanon, who has won the race several years, has registered for the race, and locally we have Travis Hendrix, who was in the Country Music Marathon, in the hunt to do his best. Last year we had 430 people registered. We do chip-timing now instead of manual timing because we have so many people. The race is going to be timed by Tennessee Race Timing out of Cookeville, so the results will be available very fast. It’s really exciting."
According to Pryor, registration for the race is easy and can be completed online at www.fiddler5k.com. There, simply hit the link to the online registration page and fill out the information.  Pryor also says you can download and print out a paper registration. "You can register online until July 3 at midnight," she explained. "If you miss that, just print out a paper registration, fill it out, and bring it at 6 a.m. on race day, Saturday, July 6. We’ll be registering at the Love-Cantrell Funeral Home parking lot. There will also be registration forms available at signup. Pre-registration cost $20 for 18 years old and under; $25 for 19 years old and up, and that goes up $5 on race day. Everyone will get a commemorative tee shirt. This year we’re using the "new tech" material and the shirts are going to be red for the first time in 11 years."
Pryor says there are also advantages to pre-registration. "If you pre-register, you have the option this year of picking up your packet on Friday night, including your bib. That will be at 5–7 p.m. at the start line at the First Baptist Life Enrichment Center on Church Street.  If you don’t get your packet of Friday, you can show up at 6 a.m. on Saturday."
The race route will go down Holmes Creek Road and turn by the golf course. The route then goes by the hospital on Riley Avenue, where there will be a water station. It will then come down West Main Street where it snakes through some of the neighborhoods, and ends back at Love-Cantrell Funeral Home on Church Street. 
Pryor says the 1-Mile Fun Run will start and end at the same place, but does not travel towards the golf course. At that event, prizes are given out to the top male and female winner, ages 12 and under.