Donut Dash Benefits

Newtown Youth & Family Services

By Andrew Gorosko

Seventeen runners participated in the Donut Dash road race in Sandy Hook on Saturday, June 25, which raised $475 for the nonprofit Newtown Youth & Family Services (NYFS).

NYFS is a licensed mental health clinic and youth service bureau. It provides outpatient individual, couple, and family counseling and substance abuse treatment services.

The group also offers prevention initiatives, after-school, evening, and weekend programs and support groups to promote individual and community wellness.

In the Donut Dash, runners ran a course of 5,000 meters or 3.1 miles. The race started in Sandy Hook Center on Church Hill Road, proceeded onto Washington Avenue and then onto Berkshire Road to Newtown High School, where runners stopped to enjoy a donut and a drink of water.

Thus energized, the runners retraced their steps, returning to Sandy Hook Center. Participants had the option of either running or walking the course.

The runner with the best time in the race was Hugh Fullman, who finished the course in 24 minutes and 10 seconds.

The other participants and their times were: Matt Hayo, 24:12; James Dormon, 26:59; RJ Bogardus, 27:38; Justin Barett, 27:39; Ryan Tarby, 28:13; Yanni Kousidis, 29:08; Jake Terifay, 33:42; Nhung Nguyen, 34:41; Rita Kelley, 37:31; Mary-Jane Vendel, 37:50; Owen Meeker, 38:22; Steve Meeker, 38:28; Silvia Porco, 40:53; Michael Porco, Jr, 42:27; Mystic Higginson, 47:43; and Angella Kousidis, 50:22.