Emmaus Borough Council unanimously voted to support a run benefitting the survivors of the March 17 fire on 5th Street at its April 15 meeting.

The Emmaus Fire Survivors Benefit Run, which is being coordinated by the Emmaus Main Street Partners, will be held between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. May 11.

"It's not a race," Council member Wesley Barrett said. "We're just trying to raise some money for a good cause and have some fun too."

The run will not have a registration fee; participants will be expected to donate if they want to run or walk in the event.

There will be a 3K and 5K course with both starting at the Emmaus Run Inn on Main Street finishing on 5th Street.

At the April 1 meeting, Emmaus Main Street Partners President Gene Clock said he planned on having live music and a beer truck at the event, but Council President Lee Ann Gilbert said that is no longer the case.

Gilbert also said the Emmaus Main Street Partners are not asking for any road closures for the event.

"From what we are told they're going to be running down the sidewalk," Gilbert said.

Barrett said he does not think having the participants run on the sidewalk will be a problem.

"I don't see it as any different than early in the [Emmaus High School] track season when there are 200 kids running on the sidewalks together," Barrett said. "This kind of has the same effect. Being part of these kinds of events in the past I don't think it's a real issue."

Council member Brent Labenberger asked if runners would be expected to stop at red lights, to which Barrett said he thinks so and that it would not be a problem because the event is not a race.

"It's not a competition," Barrett said. "So even if a train comes, which is a very realistic possibility, the runners understand it's a charity event. We're just trying to raise some money for a good cause."