By Alaina Denean Deshazo | The Selma Times-Journal

Integrity Worldwide’s Run for Kenya, set to take place in downtown Selma Saturday, is handing out something a little different this year to the winners.

Medals are given out to first, second and third place in each race category and come with extra meaning this year.

“The medals are really my favorite thing. Each one was handmade by the women at the church in Meto, [Kenya, Africa],” said Elizabeth Gilmer, event coordinator. “Some of them took up to three weeks to make. They are truly incredible, one of a kind, Meto made medals.”

Integrity Worldwide paid the women to design the medals to supplement their income.

“It really blessed some families, and a lot of those women will give money back to the church in Meto, so it’s also going to be a blessing to the local church there,” Gilmer said.

A mission team from Integrity Worldwide went to Meto over the summer and brought the medals back to them.

“It really is a blessing for us to get to support them, but it’s a way they get to bless us too in a different way,” Gilmer said.

Gilmer said getting to give the runners something from Meto, and that represents the people there, is a way to connect the two.

“The culture in Meto, they actually wear a lot of beads, and so these are actually the beads that are a part of their attire and what they wear on a day-to-day basis,” Gilmer said. “They’re incredibly ornate and detailed.”

The race will go through downtown Selma beginning at the Arsenal Place Accelerator.

The course will go through Old Live Oak Cemetery and down Dallas Avenue then through downtown and ends up back at Arsenal Place.

Gilmer said they have had between 200 and 250 runners to preregister for the seventh annual run, but she expects around 100 more will register before the start of the race.

“We are so excited. It’s been really fun to watch all the pieces come together and watch the city of Selma really come around us,” Gilmer said.

Everyone that registered online can go to Arsenal Place Accelerator Friday to pick up their bag of goodies, number and T-shirt.

Registration is $25 per person by Friday, and $30 the day of the race.

Registration includes a T-shirt, but those that register on the day of are not guaranteed one.

The event will include a 10K, 5K and 1-mile run. The 10K and 5K will be professionally timed.

To register for the race, go to integrityworldwide.org.

Same day registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and closes at 8:45 a.m. The race will begin at 9 a.m.