Aug. 29, 2025
The Catawba County United Way’s annual John F. Hall Cross Country Invitational will be held on Oct. 8 at Southside Park in Newton.
Since 1993, this event has provided an opportunity for local athletes to compete in a first-class meet and learn about the value of giving back to their communities through service projects.
This year registration opens on Sept. 2 at Milesplit NC and closes on Oct. 1 at 9 p.m.
The password to access the entry form on https://nc.milesplit.com is, UNITED WAY 2025, all caps. As in the past, the registration amount due per school is $50.
At registration, coaches do not need to declare in which race each runner will participate.
Entry limited to 21 males and 21 females per school. Please do not run more than 14 in a single race. Start line space is limited, and remember, a Service Project in your community is required of each team. Project reports are due Sept. 26.
Special Guest
The United Way is excited to announce this year’s special guest will be Debra Shofstahl, who will share the story of Sue Thomas.
At 18 months old, Sue Thomas became profoundly deaf, but through the dedication of her parents and her own perseverance she would go on to meet every challenge she faced. Thomas learned to speak and read lips, became a champion skater, an accomplished pianist, college graduate and a special agent for the FBI.
Her time as a special agent was eventually turned into a successful television series now on Amazon, “Sue Thomas FBI-Eye”, where her lip-reading skills became a significant asset for solving crimes. Shofstahl will also bring Sue’s hearing dog Rodney.
Thomas passed away in 2022, but Shofstahl continues to share her friend’s inspiring story, including the homeless outreach nonprofit Thomas started, Operation Silent Night, which works to feed, provide clothing and other resources to the unsheltered.
The CCUW hopes this will be an inspirational story for teams as they plan their community service projects.
Registration Fee
A check can be mailed to Catawba County United Way - PO Box 2425 Hickory NC 28603. Put Cross Country on the memo line.
You can also pay by credit card on the United Way website at: https://www.ccunitedway.com/form/donate. Make sure you write in Cross Country Invitational in the Memo box at the bottom of the page.
Teams can also bring a check the day of the meet, but please let us know in advance that you will.
Service Project
And remember, a Service Project in your community is required of each team. Examples of Service Projects include: book drives, food drives, reading projects with local elementary schools, helping at a local food pantry or soup kitchen, tutoring, mentoring.
Th service project must be connected to a local 501c3 non-profit in the team’s community, which can include schools and churches.
It must be a team-oriented project, engaging the majority if not all the team.
The Rotary Club of Hickory has been so appreciative of teams' projects in the past they are going to increase this year's monetary rewards to $300 for the 1st place project, $250 for 2nd, and $150 for third, which teams can have paid to a nonprofit of their choice.
More details and to Submit your project report visit - https://www.ccunitedway.com/community-service-projects.
Race Schedule
3:20 p.m. Invitational Boys: Team Competition for 1A - 2A - 3A - 4A schools.
schools. All 1A - 2A - 3A - 4A schools may enter up to 14 runners (5A/6A schools
may enter up to 7 or those not in their top 14 and participating in the
Championship race). 5A & 6A schools are not scored in these team standings.
4 p.m. Invitational Girls: Team competition for 1A - 2A - 3A - 4A schools.
All 1A - 2A - 3A - 4A schools may enter up to 14 runners (5A/6A schools
may enter up to 7 or those not in their top 14 and participating in the
Championship race). 5A & 6A schools are not scored in these team standings.
4:40 p.m. Championship Boys: Team competition for 5A & 6A schools.
5A/6A schools may enter up to 14 runners 1A - 2A - 3A - 4A schools enter their runners 15-21 here.
They will not be team scored. If desired, 1A - 2A - 3A - 4A schools may run up a division by entering their top runners here.
If you wish to run up a division, you must notify Ray Suddreth at raysuddreth@gmail.com by the end of registration on Oct. 1.
5:20 p.m. Championship Girls: Team competition for 5A & 6A schools.
5A/6A schools may enter up to 14 runners 1A - 2A - 3A - 4A schools enter their runners 15-21 here.
They will not be team scored. If desired, 1A - 2A - 3A - 4A schools may run up a division by entering their top runners here.
If you wish to run up a division, you must notify Ray Suddreth at raysuddreth@gmail.com by the end of registration on Oct. 1.
Free Food, Gift Bags, Emergency Services
Gift bags for teams will be provided with t-shirts and other giveaways for each runner. Coaches stop by the United Way table.
A food tent will also be available for runners and their families at no charge.
Emergency services and a trainer will be on site along with extra water stations at the finish line.
If you have any questions, just let us know - 828-327-6851 or email John Bailey at jbailey@ccunitedway.com.