The 10th annual Ridgewood 5K run/walk fundraiser on May 20 at Ridgewood High School in Norridge attracted approximately 140 registrants, raising nearly $3,600.
After expenses for staging a Color Run theme, more than $2,500 will be donated to local charitable organizations such as Easter Seals, the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund and the New Horizon Center.
There were more than 20 student volunteers from the school’s Interact Club, National Honor Society and the School Within a School program, with the help of the Rebels football and baseball programs, said Kevin Konsler, Interact Club advisor at Ridgewood High School.
“It ended up being a great event,” Konsler said as the Friday evening walk/run took place along Montrose Avenue.
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“We did hold the event two years ago and was able to get it in since it was a fall event.
“We did not have the event last school year,” Konsler said, adding that was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He indicated that May 20 was, “our 10th annual race over the past 11 years.”
Shian Lopez, of Norridge, 17, a junior at Ridgewood High School, was among student volunteers.
“I think this event is good for our school because it brings everybody together since the pandemic,” Lopez said.
The Color Run theme included bags of colored powder that participants opened up and emptied in tossed fanfare when the 5K started.
“That was fun,” said Edyta Tarczynski, 24, of Harwood Heights, a 2016 Ridgewood High School graduate, who was among participants tossing colored powder in gusty winds.
The event included a dunk tank and after-party snacks.
The 5K event was noteworthy for John Bulat of Norridge, a 1993 Ridgewood High School graduate, who participated with his children Johnny, 11, a fifth-grader and Evan, 9, a fourth-grader.
“I get to come out with my boys,” Bulat said. “I went through a heart attack last year so this is a big event for them, bringing dad out here for me to get healthy with them.”
The Bulat boys showed excitement tossing the colored powder in the air.
“I picked blue because it’s my favorite color,” Evan said.
“I usually like to run,” Evan’s sibling Johnny said, “so I thought this would be really fun.”
The 5K course took participants through the residential neighborhoods around Ridgewood High School with a police escort. The school’s electronic sign tracked the course time.
The 5K first finisher was Adrian Flores, 18, of Norridge, a Ridgewood High School senior.
“I think we’re blessed to have some awesome weather to do our 5K to raise some money for local charities and be able to end the year on a positive note,” said Jennifer Kelsall, superintendent at Ridgewood Community High School #234.
The race website is http://www.ridgewood5k.com.
