Mt. Juliet's first Half and Half Marathon to benefit Rest Stop Ministries

Nov. 8—Mt. Juliet's first ever Half and Half Marathon on Saturday will raise money for an organization in Wilson County that helps survivors of human trafficking.

"We're really really excited about it," event organizer Jill Satterlee said. "We're really thankful. It's our first year, and it is going to be an annual thing. I've already got ideas of ways to make it bigger and better for next year."

The Half and Half Marathon will begin on Saturday morning at Mt. Juliet High School 9 with the half marathon, followed by the beginning of the 5K and 10K races at 9:30 a.m. The route will take runners from the high school through the greenways, Charlie Daniels Park, neighborhoods and back to the school. Registration closes on Friday.

Coffee will be provided by Billy Goat Coffee Cafe.

All proceeds from the race will benefit local non-profit Rest Stop Ministries.

"We serve adult female survivors of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation," Rest Stop Ministries Founder Rondy Smith said. "Our core program is a long-term residential restoration program for these survivors."

The initial Rest Stop Ministry program is 18 months long, with an optional six months in the organization's transitional apartment. During the program, Rest Stop Ministries houses, feeds, and clothes survivors while also taking care of their medical needs and educational needs.

"That program is really focused on their deep healing and transformation," Smith said. "It's a complex trauma that they are healing from, and that's why it takes so long. It's a difficult healing journey."

Rest Stop Ministries also provides an alumni aftercare program for program graduates to help provide assistance for an additional year.

According to Satterlee, it requires approximately $30,000 a year to provide for Rest Stop residents' needs.

"There's always a need for new fundraising because of what it costs to do this kind of work," Satterlee said. "We're trying to grow the ways that we're able to raise funds."

As of Tuesday morning, registration for the Half and Half Marathon had raised approximately $10,000 in funding for Rest Stop Ministries. There were 222 individuals registered for the race as of Tuesday, and Satterlee expected that number to increase to around 250.

The fundraiser comes on the heels of a benefit auction run by even sponsor Manheim two months ago, the proceeds of which were donated to Rest Stop.

"That relationship was birthed from us reaching out and asking them if they would like to be a sponsor for the race," Satterlee said. "They didn't know about Rest Stop. We didn't know much about them other than a friend of ours who worked there. They donated $13,000."