LOVELOCK - The Mustang Stampede 5K run was well attended last Saturday, June 8. Organizers with the newly formed non-profit group, Grads Giving Back, say they were pleased with the community support and with the number of runners that participated in the 5K run.
"We were hoping this was an event that people would come out and support and apparently it was," said Grads Giving Back member and event co-organizer Rachael Leavitt.
The 5K run was supported by 122 runners, which were mostly Pershing County High School alumni, Leavitt said. She added that about 100 of the runners were local residents.
As the race, started Beth, Layla and Cyius Tiujillo could be heard chanting, "Go mommy go, go mommy go," as they ran down the sidewalk of the Pershing County Courthouse Park trying to keep up with their mom and the other runners.
The first runner to finish the race was 2013 Pershing County High School Valedictorian Samantha Dennler, who crossed the finish line with a time of 17.52 minutes; in second place was PCHS wrestling coach Mike Brooks, with a time of 18.30 minutes, and in third place was 15-year-old Fernley high school student Brady Samerno, who clocked in with a time of 20.18 minutes.
After the race the Family Fun Day started at the Courthouse Park. A pancake breakfast was served. Children were treated to many games, including two bounce houses.
Destiny Burgard said she had enjoyed the fishing game and some of the other games, "but the bounce house is my favorite."
Adults browsed booths from Relay for Life and Frontier Days among others. PCHS donated old yearbooks to Grads Giving Back, which they sold for $3 each.
- See STAMPEDE, Page 11 -
Leavitt said that she estimated the group made $5,000 to $6,000 on the event as a whole.
"We couldn't have been possible without the support of the community, the sponsors, and the City of Lovelock and Pershing County officials. That's what I love about Lovelock; this is a community," Leavitt said.
All of the money raised by the Grads Giving Back is used for scholarships for PCHS graduates. The group gave two $750 scholarships at the 2013 graduation. Grads Giving Back gave the scholarships in the name of former PCHS music teacher Mary Ryan who passed away in 2011 and Luetta Thomas a teacher's aid at PCMS who passed away earlier this year.
"You couldn't find any better women than Mary and Louetta. I think that's why a lot of people came out. Everyone loved those ladies," Leavitt said.
[[In-content Ad]]
