ORLAND, IN - Although the annual Orland Vermont Settlement Festival has been postponed until next year, the annual Vermont Classic 5K Running Race and Walk is still a go.

Experts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Runners World attest that running and walking outdoors are ways people can exercise and practice safe distancing. Those same experts say getting in 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to brisk activity can help your immune system keep viruses at bay.

As for the upcoming 5K in Orland, Donovan Houser, race organizer, says they will corral the start based on estimated finish times. Houser says their chip timing allows everyone to start with spacing as individual time only begins when a runner crosses the start and ends when they cross the finish line.

Houser says all of the water distributed to participants is bottled, and no open cups or containers are used. He adds that all volunteers wear a mask and gloves, with designated individuals who are exclusively handing out bottles and sealed food at the end of the race.

The annual race is set for Saturday, July 25h, at 8 a.m. at Orland Town Park. There will not be any race day registration, so those interested should register by using the QR code on line or in person at Legends Running Shop in Angola. Houser, who owns Legends Running Shop, says the majority of proceeds made from the races they run locally go back into the community by supporting each of the four schools in Steuben County and other local organizations.