Members of the Libby Christian Church are trying to promote community spirit and healthy living at the same time. The church is sponsoring the first Kootenai Valley Triathlon later this year, an event organizers hope will turn into an annual occurrence.

Event organizers said they’ve seen the excitement spirit of community that comes from competitive events.

“I saw the fun and excitement that comes from the competition and wanted to put something together to bring that to Libby,” Sharon Brossman said.

Matt Warner, the church’s youth pastor, echoed Brossman’s sentiments.

“We just thought we would create an opportunity for everyone to have a good time, whether you’re a biker, runner or paddler, this is an opportunity to spend time having fun with the community,” he said.

The triathlon will differ from the traditional format. Instead of it being an exclusively individual event, organizers have decided to allow teams to enter. Teams of up to three members each will be allowed to divide the events amongst themselves.

The event will feature a 5K run, starting at the church building on Kootenai River Road. The run will end at the Fred Brown Pavilion in Riverfront Park, where the paddling portion of the competition will begin. Contestants can switch off with other team members here, if they choose.

The paddling portion of the race runs approximately seven miles down the Kootenai River to the Bighorn Terrace at the bottom of Kootenai River Road. Contestants will again have the opportunity to switch out with a teammate for the next phase of the event.

The race will end with a seven-and-one-half mile bike ride back up Kootenai River Road to the Libby Christian Church.

Each team will be charged a $35 entry fee, which will cover T-shirts and food. The money raised in excess of the actual expenses will be donated to the church’s “Change for a Dollar” fund.

Warner said the church started the program to provide assistance to the community. Members of the congregation donate a dollar to this special fund, with the money being used for a variety of projects in the community. Warner labeled the projects “random acts of kindness.”

The event is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29.