5K honors loved ones lost to cancer

Published 12:59 am Sunday, October 18, 2015

Dustin Moritz is the first to cross the finish line.

Dustin Moritz is the first to cross the finish line.

 

Although Ironton resident Dustin Moritz never got to meet his uncle, running in his memory is something Moritz said was important to him.

“I ran for my uncle Mike,” Moritz said. “I never met him, but anytime I can run and represent someone in my family, I’m all for it.”

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Moritz was the first overall winner of the sixth annual Community Hospice Run in Remembrance 5K Race Saturday morning behind Ohio University Southern with a time of 16:43.

The race brought out 88 participants running in remembrance of someone lost to cancer.

“We have the race in Ironton every year and it’s always a big success,” Mandy Medinger, director of human resources for Community Hospice of the Huntington, West Virginia, area, said. “We have groups and individuals that participate.”

Boards were set up in the Mains Rotunda of Ohio University Southern, where there was registration for the race as well as the award ceremony at the conclusion, with the names of the people each participant was running for.

Coming in second place overall was McKenna Pannell with a time of 20:25.9 while Anthony Fraley claimed third with a time of 21:02.6.

Prizes were also given to top male and female finishers and top finishers in each age group.

Medinger said she thanks all of the sponsors for making the race possible this year. Sponsors for the race include King’s Daughters Medical Center, Dynegy, McGinnis, Ohio University Southern, Desco Federal Credit Union, McDonalds, Awards Plus, Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, Buckeye Monument Company, Ison Excavating and Contracting, General Sales Company, Citizens Deposit Bank, Bartram’s, Kiwk-Stop, Pick n’ Save, 7-Up and the Ironton Police Department.