The first Get Rolling Gathering is a week away

The first of the Get Rolling Gatherings for the Great Grove Bed Race is Thursday, June 17 at The Grove Spot (3324 Virginia Street) at 7 pm.

Come out and learn about the upcoming Great Grove Bed Race, which is Labor Day weekend. The gathering will consist of demonstrations on how to build a bed and one of last year's beds will be on hand, too, for participants to study, there will be a slide show of last year's event and it's basically a pep rally building up to Bed Race day, which is September 5.

This special Happy Hour is for everyone, you don't have to be part of the Bed Race to enjoy the Happy Hour drinks and fun. Get a free wristband by just mentioning the Bed Race as you enter. There will be a raffle for the Bed Race causes -- the Alonzo Mourning Charities and the University of Miami Sleep Center and lots of great prizes can be won, including free movie tickets to Paragon Grove 13, the new movie theaters in the Grove! And get this -- with each raffle ticket you purchase, you not only get a chance at a prize, but you automatically get a free beer!

It's a Happy Hour with a purpose -- preparing bed racers with the knowledge they need. And as a reward, the team that brings the most members to the Get Rolling Gatherings will receive inches off their starting point at the actual Bed Race. Everybody counts! For each person you bring, that is one inch less and the inches will add up for each Get Rolling Gathering, so the more people you bring to each gathering, the further ahead you'll be on race day!

There will be three Get Rolling Gatherings, each one is the third Thursday of the month in June, July and August, at various venues. There are still open spots during early registration, so pick a division (men, women co-ed or corporate) and sign up now here!

Here and and here are some scenes from last year's Great Grove Bed Race.

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