Annual High Cotton 5k/1k Adds a Paws-itively Fun Feature
Somerville, TN — Hit the historic streets of Somerville for the Fayette Cares High Cotton 5K/1K on Saturday, September 13, 2025. This community favorite starts at Somerville Methodist Church and ends at the Fayette County Cotton Festival and now with a tail-wagging new twist.
For the first time, participants can purchase a Pet Pass, allowing their four-legged companions to join them on the course. Registered dogs will receive a keepsake bandana and, more importantly, help raise funds for a life-saving cause.
Every step taken at this event directly supports Fayette Cares’ mission to aid families in crisis and homelessness, including victims of domestic violence. One of the lesser-known, heartbreaking realities of domestic violence is how abusers weaponize pets. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, over 70 percent of pet-owning women entering shelters report that their abuser threatened, harmed, or killed a pet as a means of control. And nearly half of domestic violence victims delay leaving because they can’t bring their pets with them.
At Fayette Cares, we’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is to support survivors with pets. “Our clients have been through so much already,” says Fayette Cares Victim Advocate Kelsey Wilson, who has helped survivors arrive safely with service and support dogs and cats in tow and routinely helps victims safety plan for themselves and their pets. “For many clients, these animals are essential parts of the family. They often lean on them while recovering and it’s that bond that can keep them going.”
So lace up your sneakers, leash up your pup, and join us for a morning of community, compassion, and cause. Proceeds from the race help provide critical services including shelter, food, and support to families seeking safety and stability.
Register today and take advantage of early bird pricing, only $30 for adults and $15 for children and pets through August 22. Call (901) 465-3802 X 221 or visit at FayetteCares.org/5k to sign up now and be a part of a meaningful cause today.
About Fayette Cares
The mission of Fayette Cares is to empower those in need with solutions to end homelessness, break the cycle of domestic violence, and create stability and self-sufficiency from crisis. Fayette Cares has served the Mid-South as a community-supported 501(c)(3) non-profit organization since 1986 and is a United Way member agency.
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