BY MICHALLE HENDERSON
The Eighth Annual Grandma Kays 5K and Fun Run at Westview Orchards was held July 9 and raised approximately $2,000 for the Armada Police Athletic League (PAL) Camp.
The camp was organized in memory of Cody Pagan, 23, an avid runner with a unique sense of humor who was killed in a car accident in December.
The funds will benefit scholarships for students to attend camp who otherwise would not be able to afford the cost.
A fun run for ages 14 challenged runners to race a mile and anyone who finished received a medal.
No times were kept for this event. Fun run times mentioned are unofficial.
Cooper Citro is going into sixth grade, he was the first finisher in the fun run.
His time was a blazing 6:15 mile.
“This was my second race. I play soccer, that’s where I get the speed.” He said. “My brother (Max) was doing it so he asked me if I wanted to do it. That’s why I ran today.”
It was adorable seven year old Ava Lesperante’s first race ever.
The crowd cheered as came across the finish line with her Papa as the first place girl finisher in the fun run.
Her time was unofficially 8:22.
“I ran with my Papa (Keith), he’s my super hero. Papa told me If you keep running this race you’ll be able to do the turkey trot. That’s a goal for me because I love turkeys,” she said.
Kory Lohrmann, 23 of Romeo, finished first overall in the 5K with a time of 16:52. He’s been running for over 10 years.
“It got rough out there. It’s a course I’ve ran before, just a different version of it. It’s a tough course, lots of hills and turns,” he said. “The speed bumps take the wind or take the energy out of you. So you have to constantly have to accelerate, but overall it’s fun. Usually most of the races are on the road, so this is nice… If I can come out and support a good cause and get an indicator of where I am at, then it’s a win-win either way.”
Rachel Durbin age 21 of Memphis was the first overall female finisher with a time of 20:10.
“I’ve been running cross country since middle school for Armada. I run for Bowling Green State University in Ohio. I had a stress fracture about a month ago so I just started running recently and getting back into it,” she said. “I’m a counselor with PAL camp so I’ve known Cody for years, since my freshman year at high school. Great Guy. The second I heard about them doing a 5K for Cody I knew I had to do it. One I run, two its Cody so perfect combination. He was a very funny guy, his sense of humor was the best thing I could say about him.”
Local 5K runners sorted by age group and places:
12 under (F) 2nd Shelby Padyjasek 40:59, 4th Alison Hudgens 54:06 (M) 1st Ben Coubard 28.45
13-19 (F) 2nd Abby Bastien 23:46, 3rd Victoria Mabbitt 23:46, 5th Emily Padyjasek 26:15, 7th Emily Stefanich 30:46, 9th Deanna Flaim 40:01, 13th Isabella Cavaliere 50:19. (M) 1st Aaron Greb 18:07, 4th Alex Leone 23:02, 5th Ben King 23:02, 6th Robert Nowik 23:02, 7th Nick Coubard 23:02, 8th Brennen Steinbauer 23:02, 10th Maxim Citro 24:57, 11th Alex Coubard 25:11, 12th Giovanni Cavaliere 48:54, 13th Giuseppe Cavaliere 56:28.
20-29 (F) 2nd Alissa Beeman 27:57, 3rd Anna-Shea Beeman 27:57, 6th Danielle Kehring 31:24, 7th Jenn Sexton 34:58, 8th Shannon Finkbeiner 37:22, 11th Jessica Pagan 50:28, 14th Andrea Keisk 1:00.54. (M) 1st Patrick Sexton 20:10, 2nd Donald Goulette 21:44, 3rd Eric Ambrosiewicz 23:17, 4th Adam Flaim 26:44, 5th Fred Flaim 27:09, 10th Alex Blake 31:40, 11th Brian Batayeh 34:41, 12th Matthew Michalewicz 34:42, 13th Vincent Digiorgio 34:42, 15th Vinnie Roncelli 39:53, 16th Nate Holdsworth 39:55, 17th Kevin Rix 40:01.
30-39 (F) 3rd Lauren Lewinski 31:20, 4th Allison Bigelow 31:48, 8th Amy Deskins 48:18, 9th Jaclyn Hudgens 54:24, 10th Julie Lefever 1:00.54 (M) 3rd Chad Finkbeiner 30:49
40-49 (F) 1st Jamie Markiewicz 29:29, 5th Holly Padyjasek 41:11, 6th Kelly Jankowski 44:08, 8th Kimberly Nowik 44:09 (M) 2nd Alan Padyjasek 41:07
50-59 (F) 1st Joyce Kehrig 29:48, 2nd Carol Fontana 32:05, 3rd Katherine Russell 32:08, 7th Rebecca Pagan 57:26 (M) 2nd Jeffrey Fredrick 23:34, 6th Michael Pagan 52:49
60-69 (F) 2nd Robin Auten 40:41, 3rd Geri Ann Beeman 53:10, 4th Charlene Moore 53:11 (M) 2nd Steven Yops 30:24, 3rd Chuck Moore 31:23.
