2007 Pumpkin Run

	The Results are in!
	Click here for the 2007 pumpkin run results. Congratulations and thanks to ALL who participated and contributed to the success of this event! Complete Pumpkin run details here.

Pumpkin Run brings community together

Reprinted from The Middletown Press
October 29, 2007
By CRISTINA D. JOHNSON
Press staff

HADDAM - With more than 150 registered athletes, a crowd in excess of 300 people gathered in Higganum Sunday to support and take part in the 14th annual Pumpkin Run. The event is one of many fundraisers held by Haddam-Killingworth Youth and Family Servies (HKYFS), a non-profit agency serving residents of Haddam and Killingworth.

Runners at the start of the 14th annual Pumpkin Run, sponsored by the Haddam-Killingworth Youth and Family Services.

HKYFS Director Cheryl Chandler was pleased with the turn-out. “We had a lot more registered to run this year than last year,” Chandler said, attributing part of the reason for the higher numbers to the Hartford Marathon Foundation (HMF), an agency that specializes in the organization and execution of races and marathons. “HMF was instrumental in getting things done.”

“We had 157 registered runners in the 5k,” Chandler said, “Last year we had around 125 so it’s definitely growing.” Chandler says the sponsors and volunteers for the event are an important part of making it work. “This year we had around 30 volunteers helping,” Chandler said, citing groups such as the Killingworth Women’s Organization, students from Haddam-Killingworth High School and the HKYFS Board of Directors.

HKYFS Treasurer Mark Torello says the fundraiser serves to support programs offered by HKYFS such as counseling, intervention and prevention programs for families in the area. “Last year we cleared around $2,000,” Torello said, and speculated even with the large number of entrants this year, the expense of hiring the HMF will probably cut their net gain to be about the same as last year. “But we learned a lot (from HMF),” he said. With each year, we continue to get more sophisticated and the marathons get better.”

Chandler said there were other ‘firsts’ to this year’s event. “We have music this year, and there are different vendors and sponsors set up.” The course was routed and measured by HMF professionals who also used technology to get the word out by emailing avid runners in their database and making the event known. Joe Anastasio worked as the course director and is a representative of HMF. Anastasio said HMF was responsible for coordinating things with police who aided in keeping the course safe, as well as setting up timers, marking the course and ordering awards. He said the event went very well, in terms of marathons. “The weather was perfect and the course was great,” Anastasio said. “Plus there were plenty of volunteers…that’s the biggest help.”

In addition to the 157 runners who registered for the 5k run, there were over 40 kids who took part in the “fun run” – a special part of the event set aside for children in grades kindergarten through 6th. Each child in the ‘fun run’ took home a medal and t-shirt for registering and taking part in the race.

There were prizes awarded to first, second and third place winners in categories according to age. There were also separate categories for men and women.

The winner of the race was 19-year-old Jake Corbell of Killingworth, who finished the race in just over 17 minutes.

The winners all received medals and a pumpkin pie.

David Jacobs, 62, of Niantic ran and won first place in the 60 to 69 age group category and says the annual HKYFS Pumpkin Run 5k is his favorite race of the 50 or so marathons he runs in each year. “They do a great job with organizing this marathon and it’s a beautiful course,” Jacob’s said. “Plus I love their pumpkin pies!”

Haddam First Selectman Tony Bondi and Killingworth First Selectman Martin Klein were also in attendance to show their support. Bondi yelled “Ready? Set, Go!” for the young ‘fun run’ participants and Klein was glad to see so many people present.

“It’s a wonderful event. It brings the community together and that’s what it’s all about: Community,” Klein said.

Chandler expressed gratitude to everyone who helped. “We’re non-profit so we get much of our funding through fundraisers like this. I’m glad to see the participation has increased because this helps us to provide programs for positive youth development.”

For information on programs offered by the HKYFS, those interested can go to their website at http://www.hkyfs.org/.