Approximately 130 runners and walkers gathered along the lakefront in Evanston for the inaugural Step Up For Youth 5K and 10K Races and Family Fun Walk.
Proceeds from the event on the morning of Sunday, Sept. 11, went to the Dajae Coleman Foundation, a nonprofit started in 2013 to honor the legacy of Coleman, a 14-year-old Evanston student shot and killed in what police have said was a case of mistaken identity the previous year.
Just prior to the run and walk, Coleman’s mother, Tiffany Rice, who started the foundation and serves as its president, told her story and spoke about her organization to the runners, walkers and volunteers gathered in Evanston’s Centennial Park. Later, Rice handed out medals to the winners.
Rice said she was pleased the event drew local residents and people from outside Evanston who may have learned about the foundation and its multiple programs, which benefit youth.
“It broadened the group of people who were introduced to the foundation in terms of age, people from neighboring towns and people from towns miles away,” Rice said. “People approached me and offered kind words and talked about how they didn’t know Dajae, but that they were interested in this event continuing.
“One of my main goals, besides raising money for programming, was getting people connected with what we do and motivated to do something on their own.”
Current foundation programs and initiatives, include college scholarships, a book drive, a summer reading program, workshops for college-bound students and the DaeDaeWorld Weekend (Friday, Sept. 23, and Saturday, Sept. 24, this year), an annual event that, according to the foundation’s website “allows the community to engage in activities that highlight Dajae’s love of family and sports.”
The Step Up For Youth event was the brainchild of Evanston resident Diane Goldring. An acquaintance of Dajae Coleman’s grandfather, Goldring said she was motivated to organize the event in order to bring awareness to the cause, while also generating a fun atmosphere.
Lisa Faremouth Weber, founder of Heaven Meets Earth Yoga Studio in Evanston, led participants in warm-ups before the races and for long stretches of both the 5K and 10K courses, runners enjoyed picturesque views of Lake Michigan.
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Evanston resident Sean Ahern won the 5K with a time of 20 minutes, 58.1 seconds, while Jeremy Rielley of Chicago finished first in the 10K (34:24.0).
Dan Shalin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @danshalin