BY LARRY DEKLINSKI
SHAMOKIN - Don't be alarmed. Although their reputation precedes them, the zombies who will walk the streets of the city this weekend are not on a quest for human flesh; rather, they are part of a family-friendly event that aims to raise money to benefit the city.
Coal City Revitalization Inc, a local non-profit, will be sponsoring a Zombie Run Saturday that will take participants on a 2.7-mile trek through the city while being chased by an infestation of the undead.
Matt Losiewicz, a representative of Coal City Revitalization Inc., said, "there will be no winners, just victims and survivors."
A team of makeup artists will transform ordinary-looking people into flesh-eating corpses who will then be set free to take over the city. The goal for participants is to avoid being "tagged" by a zombie and declared a "victim" before continuing with the sprint. Victims caught will provide their bib number to differentiate the victims from the survivors.
The start and finish line will be at the municipal parking lot on East Independence Street, across from the U.S. Post Office. Participants will travel west on Independence Street to Market, south on Market to Arch, west on Arch to Third, south on Third to Mulberry, east on Mulberry to Diamond, north on Diamond to High, east on High to Grant, north on Grant to Lincoln, west on Lincoln to Market, north on Market to Independence, and back to the lot.
Losiewicz said arrangements have been made for traffic control on Market Street (Route 125).
Activities at the lot include a zombie photo shoot by Carriage House Studio, zombie face painting, food by Mother Cabrini baseball team and Hillbilly Kettle Korn, a live radio broadcast by Y-106.5 and custom-made decor by Wedgetown Crafts.
Registration will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The entry fee is $20.
Proceeds will benefit the Shamokin Cemetery and Shamokin 150th Anniversary Celebration in 2014.