Bark to the Beat, a 5K fundraiser for the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter, will be hosted for a second time on April 5 at 8 a.m. on Butler Field after receiving a positive response from the first year.
The School of Music started this fundraiser campaign in 2024, with all proceeds going to the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter.
It had a large turnout in its first iteration, with 550 people taking part and raising $10,000 for the shelter. This year, the goal is to get higher participation and donations.
“We are excited that there’s enough interest to bring it back for a second year,” said Kevin Woosley, a music professor and the director of Bark to the Beat. “It was designed initially for our music students, but [we] figured out that this idea ended up working for all college students.”
He said one of the main aspirations of the fundraiser is to give everyone the opportunity to exercise without requiring everyone to be of the same running level.
“We wanted to make this as a way to encourage our students to get more movement,” Woosley said. “This is open for anybody of all abilities because we wanted to be something where you can come and you still feel comfortable doing it.”
During the 5K, every 30 minutes the directors will release a wave of people to start on the route. This prevents others from noticing who’s in last and who’s in first.
To make the event more unique this year, there will be spots along the route with live music from the music students, as well as someone in Denny Chimes playing the carillon.
“The last thing we wanted was a 5K that’s just boring,” Woosley said. “The slower you go in the 5K, the more music you get to enjoy.”
The shelter will bring its adoption bus to the parking lot next to Butler Field and allow participants to see and possibly adopt the dogs.
Woosley said some runners from last year adopted dogs, and the shelter was grateful for the donations it was given.
“They’re really excited to partner with us and to do it again,” Woosley said. “It’s hard to walk into their adoption bus and see cute little puppies and not take one home.”
This year the event has gathered sponsors, such as Turbo Coffee, Fleet Feet and a local chiropractor who will be helping the runners with stretches.
“We just figured out that when people get busy, exercise tends to be the first thing to stop happening for many folks,” Woosley said. “We found that one of the things that prevents that from happening is if you’re signed up for an event that has movement.”
