COVINGTON, Ga. — For the fourth straight year, the Vampire Run took place in Covington on Saturday, Oct. 28. 

Scotty and Shelley Scoggins started the event up and have organized it ever since. 

Looking back on the day, Scotty Scoggins was thrilled with the turnout. 

“It was really amazing. Everything was very smooth. We got a lot of comments from people about how organized it was and how much fun it was,” Scoggins said. “Our intention has always been to have a 5K for people who don’t like to run and have elements of a convention that aren’t as rough as waiting in line and scheduling things. We were able to start that this year for the first time. So, I thought it went very well.” 

The idea behind organizing this event was born in 2020.

Scotty was running in a Disney run to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in honor of his mom who passed away in January 2014. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut his race down, Scotty began thinking. Eventually, Scotty’s thought process led him to begin the Vampire Run. 

“In 2020, all the runs stopped because of COVID, but leukemia didn’t stop,” Scotty said. “So I thought, ‘Gosh. How can I keep raising money?’ I don’t want to just ask people for money without doing something for it. I called our contact at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and I said, ‘Blood cancer sucks and vampires suck blood and I live in the center of vampire world. Can I use the logo and start my own race?’ They said, ‘Sure, that’s a great idea.’”

The first Vampire Run had 78 “virtual runners.” But it quickly grew to 180, 218 and this year’s turnout had 246 participants. 

Among those runners were visitors from Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas, New Jersey and other places around the world to take part. 

Seeing so many people check in to be a part of the run is most fascinating to Scotty. 

“I look forward to just seeing the people in their costumes. We ask them to dress up if they want to. When they show up and start checking in. That’s my favorite part is just seeing them all,” Scotty said. “Vampire Diaries fans have such a natural bond and they just become friends. And their comments about the city about how welcoming people are. They want to come back.” 

Featured throughout the run are a few photo spots in places that are synonymous with The Vampire Diaries. Scotty admitted that most of the people who participate are “not runners, they’re Vampire Diaries fans.” 

Jasmine Guy — who plays Sheila “Grams” Bennett on The Vampire Diaries — was present for approximately two hours of Saturday’s run. Photos were available with her at the house on Conyers Street, which was a filming location for the show. 

This year, too, Eastside High School cheerleaders volunteered to dress up as Mystic Falls Timberwolves and were on the route doing cheers. 

Scotty said that was a “big hit with the fans,” too. 

In addition to all net proceeds going to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers was there for the Vampire Run 5K Blood Drive. 

Overall, Scotty was pleased with the way everything went Saturday. 

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth all the work when you see them and they come back and say, ‘Thank you for having cheerleaders out there,’” Scotty said. “Little things like that that we know will matter to them.”