MILFORD – Recess is even more fun with the right equipment – hula hoops, soccer balls, Frisbees, jump ropes – but the supply of play equipment at the town’s two elementary schools is sparse, because there is no budget for those items, said Sena Bigelow, a physical education teacher.

Through a grant a couple years ago Heron Pond Elementary School acquired a cart so that teachers could store play items and roll it out at recess, and they’re convinced it would be nice for the kids to have a selection of items.

So, they came up with an idea to make that happen.

“We wanted to have some sort of fun-run” anyway, Bigelow said, and teachers decided that raising money for school play equipment might give runners an extra incentive to lace up their shoes.

So this Saturday, May 9, there will be a three-quarter-mile fun run, beginning with registration at 8:30 a.m. at Heron Pond.

More than 300 people signed up, at $5 per person, as of Monday, but runners are welcome to register the day of the race.

Everyone who preregisters gets a T-shirt, and there will be a raffle for gift certificates for local businesses, including Pasta Loft, Hayward’s Ice Cream, Papa Joe’s and Chappell Tractor.

Bigelow estimates that it will cost about $900 to supply the equipment for the Jacques and Heron Pond schools.