A large group of brave souls ignored Saturday morning's chill in an effort to get the upcoming Red Ribbon Week off and running.
These individuals, dressed in everything from Dora the Explorer sweatshirts — like five-year old Britney Murrell of Diboll Primary School — to all-out camouflage winter gear, were participants in the fifth annual Stay on Track Fun Run held at the Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin. Runners ranged in age from under six years old to "It's none of your business how old I am."
Gary Stallard |
Amzee Gerard, 9, pushes toward the finish line of the Stay on Track Fun Run held Saturday at the Ellen Trout Zoo. The event kicks off Red Ribbon Week beginning next week throughout the East Texas area.
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Carol Bradley, who along with Edwin Quarles co-chairs fun run for The Coalition Against Underage Drinking, said the run has grown in both size and significance over the past five years.
"This is meant to be a really fun event, but we use it to kick off Red Ribbon Week, and it's proven to be a great way to get things going," Bradley said. "The Coalition Against Underage Drinking is a group encompassing all of Angelina County. This is a drug prevention and intervention group, and it's really our purpose in what we're doing throughout next week."
Next week's events will include fall festivals featuring the Drug Free All Stars at various schools; and The Coalition will be announcing the winners of an essay contest.
Amzee Gerard, 9, attends Bonner Elementary School in Hudson. Saturday marked her second straight year of entering the Fun Run. She said she trains for the events by "running around in my backyard so I can win these races."
Gerard also said she had more motivation than just having fun.
"I want to beat all the boys," she said.
Winners of the Fun Run events were as follows:
1-mile results — Female 6 and under: (1st) Madilyn Simmons, (2nd) Britney Murrell, (3rd) Hannah Mackey. Male 6 and under: (1st) Kaden Eastwood. Female 7-8: (1st) Grace Bartlett, (2nd) Amzee Gerard. Male 7-8: (1st) Carson Hopper, (2nd) Michael Mays, (3rd) Brayden Frankens. Female 9-10: (1st, first female across the line in 1-mile at 6:40), Christina Hernandez, (2nd) Cailyn Bartlett, (3rd) Lexi Frankens. Male 9-10: (1st) Chris Medina, (2nd) Parker Whitley, (3rd) Carson Nerren. Female 11-12: (1st) Ashley Rhodes, (2nd) Haley Mackey, (3rd) Destinee Lisenby. Male 11-12: (1st, first male across the line in 1-mile at 6:37), Logan Gary, (2nd) Conner Richardson, (3rd) Roma Fenley. Female 13-14: (1st) Kaylin Martinez. Female 20-29: (1st) Ashley Jordan. Female 30-39: (1st) Rachelle Frankens, (2nd) Samantha Payne, (3rd) Susan Murrell. Male 30-39: (1st) Anthony Bartlett, (2nd) Craig Simmons, (3rd) Dewayne Murrell. Female 40-49: (1st) Jean Pachicano. Male 40-49: (1st) Bruce Runnels. Female 50-59: (1st) Jan Allbritton.
5K Results \u2013 Male 9-10: (1st) Pierce Vinson. Male 11-12: (1st) Gage Guerrero. Male 13-14: (1st) Timmy Martinez, (2nd) Jake Martinez, (3rd) Davis Robinson. Male 15-16: (1st) Austin Whitaker. Female 18-19: (1st) Meredyth Todd, (2nd) Emily Hardy. Male 18-19: (1st, first male across the line in 17:40) Eddy Rojo. Female 20-29: (1st, first female across the line at 26:34) Amber Wagnon, (2nd) Aby Goff, (3rd) Becky Yates. Male 20-29: (1st) Josh Shapaka. Female 30-39: (1st) Julie Mays, (2nd) Robin Bowers, (3rd) Lisa Lemon. Male 30-39: (1st) Billy Lumpkin, (2nd) Matt Lynn, (3rd) A.J. Goff. Female 40-49: (1st) Cindy Springs, (2nd) Renae Hendricks, (3rd) Jannah Nerren. Male 40-49: (1st) Armando Boranegra, (2nd) Van Watson, (3rd) Jimmy Hendricks. Female 50-59: (1st) Beth Wilbanks, (2nd) Debbie Brantley. Male 50-59: (1st) Gerry Wilbanks, (2nd) Rocky Thigpen.
