Photo by Deb Gau

Christmas sweaters, jingle bells and hats with blinking lights mixed with running shorts and sneakers Friday night at the “Run For a Claus” event at Independence Park. Organizers said about 60 people signed up to take a one-mile run or walk while decked out in festive gear. The run took participants through the Light Up the Night displays at the park, and runners could warm up with cups of hot chocolate afterward. A portion of the registration fees for the run went to support local causes like Prairie Home Hospice and Community Care, and youth scholarships at the Marshall Area YMCA.