BERNARDSTON — The 2026 Flutie 5K for Autism in collaboration with The United Arc will return to Bernardston for the third year on Saturday, June 13, and proceeds will go toward funding activities and events for clients of the Turners Falls nonprofit.
The 5K will take place starting at 10:30 a.m. at Pratt Field off of South Street. Participants can run, walk or roll for the duration of the 5K before ending at Incandescent Brewing at 203 South St. for some post-race festivities. Before the 5K kicks off, the Kid’s Fun Run will take place starting at 10:15 a.m., also at Pratt Field.
Advance registration is available at runsignup.com/Race/MA/Bernardston/Flutie5kJune07. Participants can register day-of as well.
Fred Warren, executive director of The United Arc, said 135 people participated in the 5K last year and the race was able to raise $13,000 for the nonprofit, which serves clients living with developmental and intellectual disabilities in Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, Worcester and Berkshire counties.
“It was really amazing,” Warren said about the 2025 race, which involved partnering with the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism for the first time. “The numbers doubled from our first year, before we brought them on board, so that was amazing, and they just do such a great job handling everything for us. We couldn’t be any luckier to just have an amazing partnership with them.”
The Flutie 5K for Autism in Bernardston is part of a larger network of races hosted by the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism. This nonprofit was started in 1998 by former NFL and Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie and his wife, Laurie, after their son was diagnosed with autism. The foundation partners with organizations across the United States to host 5Ks, with races coming up this summer across the country.
Warren explained that this fundraiser is important to The United Arc, as state contracts pay for staff salaries and program basics, but there can be a gap in funding for providing activities and events for the clients, like buying them YMCA memberships or taking a trip to a WooSox baseball game in Worcester.
“Those are the things that we utilize those fundraising dollars for, and our participants get to create some amazing memories that they talk about for months and years after,” he said.
In terms of a fundraising goal for this year’s 5K, Warren said raising more than last year’s $13,000 and perhaps closer to $20,000 could be “wonderful,” but even if that number isn’t reached, The United Arc is still “pretty excited” about getting participants and getting the word out about this fundraiser.
Already, this year’s race is looking at an increase in registration, Warren said, with more than 135 people already signed up. The hope is that participation will reach between 150 and 175.
Upcoming events
After the Flutie 5K for Autism on Saturday, The United Arc is gearing up for more events.
On Thursday, June 18, The United Arc will celebrate its 75th anniversary at The Farm Table in Bernardston from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., with speakers who will detail the history of the nonprofit and its work in the community. Tickets are available at tinyurl.com/3z3c39vp.
Then on Saturday, June 20, at Energy Park in Greenfield, The United Arc will host a block party from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Of the activities at this event, Warren will find himself at the center of a pie-throwing contest. This event is free and open to the public.
Information about both upcoming events is available on The United Arc’s Facebook page at facebook.com/TheUnitedArc.
