TEXARKANA, Texas- At least 47 runners took advantage of the cool, foggy Saturday morning, to compete in the Inaugural 5-Kilometer "Run TEAL There's a Cure" race at Spring Lake Park.
With September being Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and with the nationwide Newk's Eatery restaurant chain opening a diner here locally late last year, Race Coordinator and Marketing Director Monica Beeman, said the timing fit just right to start a new fundraising event in town.
"Chris Newcomb is the restaurant chain's CEO, and this event is being held in honor of his wife, Lori, who passed earlier this year from Ovarian Cancer," Beeman said. "She was diagnosed with it back in 2013. We managed to organize this race during the last two weeks and we hope to make it an annual event. The word 'TEAL' in the race's title, is the color of the ribbon, worn in honor of those women suffering from this cancer."
Presently, the Newk's Eatery chain has 130 restaurants in 13 states.
Beeman added that this latest benefit foot race has raised about $2,700 locally, for Ovarian Cancer research.
Of the competing runners, Local resident Kasey Coggin, in the women's category, came in as overall first place for females, finishing what amounts to about a 3-mile race, in 20 minutes and 30 seconds.
"I don't personally know any one living here, who has this cancer, but I just like supporting causes like this," Coggin, who has been competing in local and area fundraising events during the last 10 years, said.
As for the men's category, Local resident Brad Taylor came in overall first place, finishing 18 minutes and 30 seconds.
"I've just started running during about the last two years now," Taylor said. "I found out that I could do it and it helps me keep weight off and it's also good therapy," he said.