Bath Rotary’s 12th 4-Way race to aid community, honor George Dole

Bath Rotary Club’s 12th annual 4-Way race will turn a Saturday morning run into direct support for local needs in Sagadahoc County, with proceeds going to Girls on the Run Maine and the club’s Community Service Fund.

The 5K run/walk and 10K run are set for 9 a.m. Saturday, May 9, at Morse High School, 826 Shipbuilder Dr., in Bath. The school will serve as both the start and finish line, with registration and bib and T-shirt pickup scheduled from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in the parking lot. The course will be professionally timed and includes slight rolling hills, giving the event enough of a competitive edge for serious runners while still welcoming families and casual walkers.

This year’s race adds a Mother’s Day touch: all mothers will receive a $5 discount. Adults may register for $35 in advance or $40 on race day, while students ages 12 to 17 will pay $20 in advance or $25 on race day. Children 11 and younger may run free, although they will not receive a race shirt. Shirts are reserved for those who register by April 22.

The event also carries a strong local legacy. It honors the Rev. Dr. George F. Dole, a longtime Bath Rotarian and lifelong runner who died on June 29, 2021, just shy of his 90th birthday. In 1954, while studying at Oxford University in England, Dole ran in the race where Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute mile barrier, linking Bath’s annual fundraiser to one of track and field’s most famous moments.

Bath Rotary’s Four-Way race takes its name from the Rotary Four-Way Test, the ethical guide created by Herbert J. Taylor and used across Rotary International. The test asks whether something is truthful, fair to all concerned, builds goodwill and better friendships, and beneficial to all concerned.

The community impact reaches well beyond race day. Rotary says proceeds will support Girls on the Run Maine and the Bath club’s Community Service Fund, which helps pay for youth swimming lessons, student literacy efforts, child food insecurity, young leadership training and scholarships. Girls on the Run Maine says its program is designed to inspire girls of all abilities to be joyful, healthy and confident through a curriculum that blends running with life skills. The organization says it has served more than 10,252 girls across Maine over the past 13 years, and 60% of participants in 2025 required financial assistance.