Runners Race To Win And Benefit Youth & Family Services

By Andy Hutchison

At the end of every race is a finish line, but at the conclusion of benefit races the run of success continues off the course — long after the final competitor has completed his or her effort. In the case of the 7th Annual Newtown Road Race and Newtown Prevention Council Kids’ Run, Newtown Youth & Family Services (NYFS) is the beneficiary. This year, NYFS got plenty of support as more than 600 runners of the 5K and kids’ run laced up their sneakers and sprinted, jogged, or walked for a good cause. The event took place under sunny skies and low-70s temperatures, beginning and ending at Dickinson Park on September 1. There were 534 finishers of the 5K run and another 100-or-so children who participated in the Kids’ Run.

Danbury’s Enaldo Oliveira, 43, won the 5K (3.1 mile) race in a time of 18:20. The second-place finisher was Sandy Hook 14-year-old Ethan Burg, who finished in 18:46. Maggie Christie, 16, of Brookfield, was the top female runner, completing the course in 19:41, good for 12th place. Newtown’s fastest female was Hannah Schwartz, 15, who was 28th overall after crossing the finish line in 20:50.

Newtown’s David Oelberg, 49, came in third overall with a time of 18:48. Following the fourth-place finisher, 54-year-old Doug Scarth of Redding (18:50), Newtown had back-to-back representation. Joey and Joe Whelan, 15 and 48, respectively, placed fifth and sixth with times of 19:07 and 19:09. Newtown had two more top-ten finishers with Yossi Kohrman-Glaser, 17, coming in ninth in a time of 19:17 and Tucker Grose, 22, placing tenth in 19:20.

The way Race Director Steve Meeker, his 50-or-so volunteers, and NYFS officials look at it… everyone was a winner.

Meeker said $25,000 to $30,000 was raised thanks a turnout that trumped that of last year’s Hurricane Irene-postponed race. In total, approximately $150,000 has gone to NYFS since the first race; this is an all-volunteer effort.

“Because of these fundraisers we’re able to keep costs low at the agency, or run free programs,” said NYFS Community Coordinator Kaitlyn Johnson, noting that among the free programs is Children of the Force, to assist children of divorced parents.

“We had a chamber of commerce day in terms of weather,” Meeker said. “When we have weather like this we can usually double our preregistered runners on race day — we did just about that.”

Meeker added that the participation, all around, made for a perfect day. “We had great runners, we had good, fast times, tremendous numbers of volunteers out here — just huge support from the sponsors and we couldn’t have done it without the police and the EMTs. They did a tremendous job. So we’re thrilled with the event and it couldn’t have gone better,” Meeker said.

“The race is great for Newtown,” said hometowner and race participant Evan Pitkoff, adding that running is great for him, too. “I started running a little over a year ago after a 17-year hiatus,” said Pitkoff, adding that he’s since dropped 20 pounds.

Fellow Newtowner Madeleine Neave ran the race for the second time. “It feels great. It’s a great race — it’s fun to see the community out and about,” she said.

Danbury’s Richard DeMarco, 70, and the winner of the 70-79 male division with a time of 31:53, said he liked the course and added that the food at the pavilion — everything from water to pizza and soda — was key. “The refreshments were awesome,” he said.

Newtown/Sandy Hook had six age division winners as follows: Laura Nowacki, 47, in the 40–49 female division, 21:07. Cory Benson, 55, in the 50–59 female division, 24:22. Kathi Gottschang, 61, in the 60–69 female division, 29:30. Burg, in the 14–19 male division. Grose, in the 20–29 male division. Bruce Goulart, 62, in the 60–69 male division, 22:01.

Visit www.newtownroadrace.com for complete results.