Mead Mile Takes a Turn Towards Youth-Oriented Community Nonprofit ‘Reaching Out Now’ for 2026 Event Fundraising

On Saturday, November 7th, the third annual “Mead Mile” fundraising event previously contributing to “Movember”, a national mens health awareness organization, was held. Sponsored by Honey & Hops, the event took place at the Gazebo-anchored community park at the intersection of East Main and Chester Streets in the Town’s Historic Downtown Business District.

The Town website noted that the racing event wouldn’t be the only attraction to the 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or so event. “Make sure to stick around for the family-friendly Mead Mile Festival with live music, lots of local vendors, and food trucks.”

Opening band Soldiers of Fortune explored a library of Classic Rock, eventually attracting the human dancing machine. — Get on the good foot, Will.

The event is sponsored by the East Main Street Honey & Hops business featuring a drinking selection of Mead-based products. As the event name indicates, those Mead products are a featured part of the one-mile race against the clock and competing individuals. A non-alcoholic Mead option is offered to participants too young or preferring not to imbibe in that aspect of the race.

The race features four quarter-mile laps up and down East Main Street, with a small shot of Mead, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, required at the end of each quarter-mile lap, with the start and finish lines in close proximity at the East Main and Chester Streets intersection.

The Start and Finish lines are in close proximity at Chester and E. Main Streets. In the foreground is the Honey & Hops-fueled Starting Line, fully stocked with small glasses of Mead for the next rounds of runners. The Finish Line is emblazoned in inflated Blue on Chester Street. Below is the Honey Hops booth near the Finish Line, and a shot of some of the vendors present, including one of the food trucks to the right.

The beneficiary of this 2026 year’s fundraising event was “Reaching out Now”. With a little online research we found these motivating factors in the now annual Mead Mile event and involved fundraising recipients. It should be noted that Honey & Hops owners are brothers Isaac and Ada Rushing. From their company’s website is this background:

“From early planning stages of opening, we wanted to be a company that gave back. That first year of business we started donating every November to “Movember”, a mens health awareness organization supporting research into mens cancers, and suicide prevention,” the Honey & Hops website began, adding, “The meaningfulness only grew when our own dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer back in 2022. While Movember will always be an important part of our story, this year we decided to shift focus to a local nonprofit to have a greater impact on our immediate community. This year we are partnering with “Reaching Out Now”.

A Courtesy Photo of Honey & Hops owners, brothers Isaac and Ada Rushing. Below, a fully manned ‘Reaching Out Now’ booth.

“At Reaching Out Now, Inc., they are passionate about making a real difference in the lives of students and families facing challenges in our community. They know that success looks different for everyone, and their goal is to provide the resources, support, and encouragement needed to help students thrive — whether in school, in their careers, or in life,” the Honey & Hops website observes of “Reaching Out Now”.

We then checked the “Reaching Out Now” website for info on its community focus. “Reaching Out Now” was represented by several board members including co-founder and Director of Business Strategies Joseph Barber, and Founder and organizational President Samantha Barber.

Dressed in white, Reaching Out Now founder and organizational President Samantha Barber thanks the crowd of runners and spectators, then shakes hands with event moderator Christopher Allen Kenworthy.

The Reaching Out Now website says this of the non-profit’s focus:

“THROUGH SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, and EMPOWERMENT: We come alongside underserved youth to support them in becoming individuals who contribute to their communities, lead successful lives, and achieve future aspirations.

“OUR VISION: Reaching Out Now comes alongside youth to become the best version of themselves, prepared to face the world with hope, purpose, and optimism.

“Each child will be a helpful and impactful part of their community as they achieve their hopes and dreams.

“OUR TAGLINE — ‘Your True Potential within Reach.’ ”

Oh, and there was a series of Mead Mile races.

OH, there was a race too, as illustrated below. First, a runner blasts off the starting line in pursuit of the best time of the 3-year event. Below, more runners taking off from the starting line; and running up E. Main St. towards Town Hall; and back down again. The final shot shows the top 3 finishers in one of the main categories, led by First-Place Reid Schwartzel, who, at 41, set a Mead Mile event “World Record” of 6:51.82 in the event’s 3rd year.

The Honey & Hops website cited a runner registration limit of 200, and a goal of raising $25,000 for Reaching Out Now. We were told that the 200 registration limit was reached, and that last year it topped out at 118. When the organizers have a final fundraising total for “Reaching Out Now,” we will UPDATE this story with that number.

Sorry, we don’t have other finishers’ names, but if you finished in the Top 3, you know who you are, and so do your friends. Speaking of friends, were yours in the crowd as it steadily built into the late morning/early afternoon?