A summer tradition in Chester for the last 42 years, the Four-on-the-Fourth Road Race will continue, although a little differently this year due to the social distancing protocol necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are going to have a virtual road race,” said Deb Vilcheck, chair of the event for the Chester Rotary Club. “That means people can run at their convenience beginning July 4 through July 12, so that we won’t have crowds in town.”

The event, which is put on each year by the Chester Rotary Club, typically draws more than 500 runners on July 4. Last year, there were 1,000 runners.

“It’s a great community event,” said Stephen Swift, a runner and first-place finisher in 2000. “People come to it year after year because it’s tradition. It’s what you do on the fourth, run and then have your picnic afterward. You can expect to see the same old friends there every year.”

Although the camaraderie of runners and fans congregating in Chester won’t take place this year, the Rotary Club is offering a way to connect through the RaceJoy app. The app offers live tracking and the ability for fans to message runners.

Vilcheck says that participants are welcome to run the certified course in Chester during the eight-day period with finish times tracked and scored online at the Rotary Club’s registration page. Runners can repeat the four miles as often as desired, to improve their scores.

Participants will also receive a race T-shirt, with a logo depicting the world with a heart mask. Mandy Carroll, a local artist who works as a gallery manager with Lori Warner Studio and Gallery at 21 Main Street in Chester, designed the T-shirts this year.

Although the event is intended “to keep up with a tradition, to have a bright spot in this point in time,” says Vilcheck, it’s also to fundraise for a whole host of local charities and nonprofits.

“For Chester Rotary, our primary focus is service and support to our local community,” said Vilcheck. “This year is no different and we are doing what we can to raise money to support local nonprofits directly affected by the pandemic, provide citizenship awards to graduating high school seniors, and for other local projects.”

As examples, during the pandemic, Rotary has provided food and funding to the Chester Community Fund, meals to Emergency Room staff at Middlesex Hospital, and personal protective equipment to nursing homes and health care providers.

“I expect that we are going to have a second wave [of COVID-19],” said Vilcheck. “We really can’t stop fundraising. We cannot stop being available for those who need help.”

Two new organizations supported by the Chester Rotary Club this year include New Horizons Domestic Violence Services, a program of Community Health Center, Inc., based in Middletown, and Brian House, Inc., in Chester, which supports adults with disabilities.

Others include the Chester Food Pantry, Chester Parks & Rec, Tri-town Youth Services, the Motley Scholarship, Citizenship Award, Chester Elementary PTO, Early Childhood Council, Chester Hose Company, Boy Scout Troop 13, Bikes for Kids, Camp Hazen, Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries, and the Brazilian-American Youth Cultural Exchange.

To register for Chester’s four-mile, Four-on-the-Fourth Road Race, visit runsignup.com/Race/CT/Chester/ChesterRotarysFourontheFourth.