Some 124 people, who ranged in age from eight to 74, came to Johnston War Memorial Park on Sunday with one common message: “Together, we can wipe out cancer!”
And that slogan was displayed all around the sun-splashed park – on the front-and-back of Providence resident Laurie King’s pink T-shirt, and on similar garb people like Dennis Ventetuolo wore during the seventh running of The Memorial 5K Run/Walk.
The 3.1-mile event was held in memory of the late Jerry Musco, a native Johnstonian who later moved to Smithfield and was well known throughout Rhode Island’s road running community.
“Jerry lost his battle with cancer in 2000,” Ventetuolo, the 5K Run/Walk’s chairman, said. “He was a great guy and great friend, and we continue to raise money in his memory for the ongoing battle against cancer.”
All of Sunday’s estimated $3,000 proceeds will go the American Cancer Society through the Relay For Life. Ventetuolo explained that money raised is used to help fund research, education, awareness, prevention, early detection and other programs targeted to help patients in Rhode Island.
Two Johnston-based businesses – Pappas Physical Therapy and Christy’s Truck Rentals – also helped organizers realize a bigger profit than expected as they helped Ventetuolo’s committee with race expenses.
Likewise, Arpin Global – which had a team of eight employees in Sunday’s 5K Run/Walk – presented Ventetuolo with a check for $400.
“They are members of Team Arpin Strong,” Ventetuolo said. “Arpin Global’s team competes in various events like this and designates money to the event in which their team participates. We’re very grateful for Team Arpin Strong’s donation and effort.”
However, those businesses weren’t alone.
Many runners in Sunday’s field took home gift cards for restaurants, magazine subscriptions, the Pawtucket Red and other stores.
The Golden Rose Wig Shop donated a basket with a $100 Whole Foods Market gift card as well hair products, and Shirk Hair Salon and Cardsmart were among others that donated specialty gift packages. There was even a special raffle held during the post-race cash awards presentation that included a pair of Boston Red Sox tickets.
Running-wise, a husband-and-wife team from North Attleboro, Mass. – who met during their undergraduate days at Hofstra University in New York – took home the men’s and women’s championship awards.
Brendan Dagan, 32, who works for Alliance Securities and has been running competitively for many years but hadn’t done run a race in about a year, was the overall winner Sunday. He covered what he and his wife called a “hilly and tough course at points” in 17 minutes, 51 seconds.
Dagan, who explained he took the lead approximately one mile into the race, finished ahead of Johnston’s Barry Bates, 33, who recorded a time of 18:13. Chris Ballou, 36, whose residence wasn’t known, was third overall in 18:33.
Dagan’s wife Jen, 30, a therapist who works in the autism field, was fourth overall in 18:38. She also won the women’s title.
Rick Hall, 49, another Johnston resident, was fifth overall in 18:18. Nick Shurtleff, 18, was sixth in 19:35; Lindsay Amherst, 30, was seventh in 19:40; Greg Fusco, 30, finished eighth in 19:41; Edson Munoz, 34, was ninth in 19:43; and Zofia Wieciorkowska, 51, completed the top 10 finishers with a time of 19:56.
Sunday’s 5K Run/Walk started and finished on Memorial Drive and was officially timed by Will Vinci and Conor Breagy of RunRhody.com, which is based in Exeter. At race time, the temperature ranged from 80 degrees and up.
Johnston residents Jake Hall, 16, and Connor Agnew, 13, were second and third, respectively, in the 19 and under age group with times of 23:34 and 24:25. Shurtleff was first with a time of 19:35.
Other age men’s division age group winners were:
20-39, Greg Fusco, 20, 19:41; 40-49, Rick Hall, 19:13; 50-59, Dan Darrell, 55, 20:15; 60-69, Howard Bottomly, 67, 22:16; 70 and up, Paul Bazin, 74, 31:42.
Women’s division winners and their ages groups were:
19 and under, Hayley Roberts, 19, 21:59; 20-39, Julie Olobri, 33, 22:27; 40-49, Avelina Rocchio, 49, 24:30; 50-59, Judy Thompson, 57, 23:47; and 60-69, Patricia Kurzynski, 31:44.
Ventetuolo – better than anyone – put the event into the proper perspective.
“It’s a community event put together by volunteers,” he said. “We’re just trying to do some good.”
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