Community members braved the cold as they came out for the Third Annual Run for Ryan 5k walk/run Saturday, March 18.
The event benefits the Ryan “Stack” Clark Scholarship. Ryan Clark was a 2002 Lakeside High School graduate who was killed in a shooting at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. His mom and scholarship chairperson Letitie Clark said there were around 200 participants and that it was great to see all the people out there.
“My heart is beating so fast,” Clark said. “I’m excited. It just makes it known this is a community that helps its own.”
This year the participants included students from the running clubs at Blue Ridge Elementary and South Columbia Elementary, which Clark said was exciting because last year there was only Blue Ridge. The winner of the race was Eli Gerlach, a third grader at Blue Ridge who finished the 5k with a time of 22:20.
Melissa Johnson has participated in the event before but said this is the first year there’s been a big turnout for her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated Greater Columbia County Alumni Chapter. They had about 12 walkers and runners, six volunteers and three youth at the event, which she said was a great cause.
“I think it’s a camaraderie and also being able to get our health and fitness in check,” Johnson said. “Some of us, like they say from the couch to the 5k, some of us are from the bed to the 5k, but to just actually do it with a group and have fun doing it for a great cause.”
Krista Ashburn was doing the run for the first time and said she wanted to come out to support a local cause. She teaches at Stevens Creek Elementary, which is a feeder to Lakeside, and said it was good to see the students out there.
Hannah Boatwright wasn’t a runner in the event. Instead she was there to watch her daughter, Savannah Boatwright, a third grader at South Columbia and a member of the school running club.
“I think they’re great. I think it motivates the kids to set goals,” Boatwright said. “They work on this all-season building endurance for a 5k, and they really enjoy it. Every year, they’ve had a great time, and I’ve had a great time cheering them on.”
The Ryan Clark Scholarship and Community Service Award for students ages 14 to 19 was started in 2019. Letitie Clark said she raised her three children to give back to the community, and that’s exactly what her son always did. There are three scholarships award, a $2,000, a $1,000 and a $500 one in May, which is Ryan’s birth month, Clark said.
“It’s for community service, just for giving back to the community. Everybody can’t be the best athlete, everyone can’t make straight A’s, but anyone can get that community service. That’s kind of my motto,” Clark said.
For more information or to make a donation, visit https://www.ryanstackclark.org.
