Valley Elementary School in Pelham will hold its first Trick-or-Treat Trot, a two-mile family fun run on Oct. 25 at 9 a.m. at Pelham High School.

Registration is $10.

The event will also feature games, music, door prizes, goodie bags for kids and more. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Arthritis Foundation’s programs for children with juvenile arthritis throughout Alabama.

&uot;The Fun Run not only promotes health and fitness for the family but it also raises funds to help the 6,000 children in Alabama who have arthritis,&uot; said Susan Jackson, a physical education teacher at Valley Elementary.

&uot;Despite the fact that juvenile arthritis affects nearly 30,000 children in the U.S., it can be difficult to diagnose and treat.&uot;

Juvenile arthritis is a general term for all types of the disease in children.

Symptoms include pain, stiffness and sometimes, swelling, in and around the joint. Some common forms of the disease in children are juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, childhood forms of lupus and ankylosing spondylitis.

Students at VES are holding the Trick or Treat Trot as part of their participation in the Arthritis Foundation’s Run for Arthritis program, a week-long educational fundraiser for middle and elementary school students.

During each day of the program, students learn something new about the disease through educational and fun projects.

Valley students also collect donations for their participation in the &uot;Trot&uot; at the end of the week.

As an added incentive, 20 percent of the total money raised is returned to the physical education department at VES for equipment or program upgrades.

&uot;Our school initially got involved with RFA last year because one of our student, Sydney Hood, has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis,&uot; said Ginger Aaron, also a physical education teacher and Valley’s coordinator for the program.

&uot;RFA has helped the student better understand what children like Sydney have to go through every day and how they can make a difference in improving the lives of those with arthritis.&uot;

For information or to make a donation, call VES at 682-5550.

To participate in the RFA program, call Holly Snuggs at 979-5700