Although the weather turned out to be less than ideal for a nighttime run, hardy runners and walkers were not deterred, as hundreds participated in the Ready, Set, Glow 5k for suicide awareness Saturday.
The first ever “glo-run” was put on by the Wapakoneta High School GateKeepers, a student group that focuses on raising awareness for suicide prevention and depression.
The issue is one that hits close to home for Wapakoneta, as Wapakoneta High School recently lost one of its own. LeeAnn Jose, 16, passed away on March 19, but many were at the event to keep her spirit alive.
“We wanted to come out and just celebrate LeeAnn Jose and just show support for the community and for suicide awareness,” said Kristi Klopfenstein, who participated in the 5k along with her two daughters.
According to Olivia Kentner, race coordinator and GateKeepers member, around 400 people pre-registered for the race, and another 50 to 100 were estimated to have signed up that night.
See Monday's paper for the full story.