Jul 26, 2016 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – The inaugural Victory 5K Run/Walk is settling in its starting blocks and getting ready to help Greene County residents in need.

The race will be held Aug. 13 at the First Church of the Nazarene in Franklin Township and also include a children’s run, games, food and raffles.

The proceeds raised will benefit the Corner Cupboard Food Bank and the Alexa Grace Pester Memorial Scholarship Fund formed last year to help area children attend college.

Co-directors Larry Calvert and Deborah Pester, both of Waynesburg, enjoy running, so they began working together last year on a way to raise money for important causes. The memorial scholarship fund was founded after the stillbirth of Pester’s daughter Alexa, in February 2015. Pester and her family volunteer at the food bank, so she said it made sense to help both causes.

“Alexa would’ve been volunteering there with us,” Pester said.

Pester runs with her four children, ages 7 to 13, and is excited about the opportunity to organize an event to help others.

“It’s my stress-reliever. They have picked up the love of running through me,” Pester said of running with her kids.

Pester and Calvert know each other from various sporting events involving each of their family’s children, so they began thinking how to raise money for causes that matter to them. A 5K run was a natural fit and Calvert thought the food bank would be a good charity to help after hearing during last year’s Dock to Lock run that it need more financial support.

“For some reason, the conversation led to an idea I was having. She thought it was a coincidence because she wanted to start a scholarship fund,” Calvert said. “We both had this desire to want to do something for particular causes that we felt our heartstrings are being pulled for.”

The event will include more than just the race with a children’s play area and plenty of games to keep the little ones occupied. Roasted chicken will also be sold after the race is over.

“We’re trying to create an environment where parents feel they can bring their kids here,” Pester said.

Participants will receive a shirt and a bag filled with pens, notepads and sporting goods coupons. Anyone who brings a canned food item for the Corner Cupboard will be entered into a raffle for numerous prizes.

“We are hoping for an overwhelming turnout,” Pester said. “We have a lot of great prizes we plan on raffling off.”

The events on Aug. 13 begin at 7 a.m. with registration and the children’s mile run at 8:30 a.m. The run/walk is set to begin at 9 a.m. The starting and finishing points will be at the First Church of the Nazarene at 115 Deerfield Lane near Rolling Meadows Road. The course will take runners from the church through the neighborhood around Crago Drive.

To register for the event, go to the run/walk’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheVictory5K and print off the brochure from the website. The entry forms can also be found at First Federal Savings and Loan of Greene County in Waynesburg, among other local businesses. The forms can be mailed to The Victory 5K, P.O. Box 963, Waynesburg, PA 15370-0963, and registration checks should be made out to BBC of Ruff Creek with Victory 5K in the memo line.

The deadline for pre-registration is Saturday and will give participants a $2 discount from the $20 entrance fee for people who register on race day. The cost is $10 for children who pre-register for the shorter run and $12 on race day.

Anyone who cannot attend the 5K but still wants to donate to the scholarship fund, can make direct donations to the Alexa Grace Pester Memorial Scholarship Fund at First Federal Savings and Loan.