Cherokee Choices hosted the annual Mother’s Day 5K and Dialysis Patient Fundraiser at the Kituwah Mound on Saturday, May 9. Over 100 people, including 95 runners, came out for the event. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
On a humid afternoon, Cherokee Choices hosted the annual Mother’s Day 5K and Dialysis Patient Fundraiser at the Kituwah Mound on Saturday, May 9. Over 100 people, including 95 runners, came out for the event.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Cherokee Dialysis Support Group. Prior to the start of the race, Sam Otter and Tonya Carroll were honored with plaques for their work on the event over the years.
The winners in the Womens 51 and over division are shown (left-right): Gerri Grady, third place; Carolina Oocumma, first place; and Elnora Thompson, second place.
“We started this race in 2008, and at the time, there hadn’t really been any races in our community,” said Tara McCoy, of Cherokee Choices, who helped organize the event.
She told how the event came to be and related that Otter and Carroll were planning a fundraising event for the Cherokee Dialysis Support Group at the same time Cherokee Choices was beginning to plan the first 5K. The event just fluidly combined into one after about six months of planning.
“The first year was tough, we didn’t have a timer so trying to figure out who was first, second and third was really hard,” said McCoy. “But, as years went by, it got a little bit easier and we started getting better at having these races.”
Sam Otter (center) and Tonya Carroll (right) were honored for their work over the years with the event.
Otter commented, “Our people are helped a lot, but we have a lot of non-Indians to go to dialysis there too and they don’t qualify for the services that we get so when we started this, we wanted it to be for everyone so that everyone could receive the help when they needed it.”
He also said getting the event started was a tough road. “Anytime you start something new, it’s hard, but Tonya (Carroll) was a big help. Her aunt works at Cherokee Choices, and they had a walk going on the same day so they collaborated. Then, the next year, they partnered with us and it’s just taken off. I believe the good Lord has richly blessed it. It’s helped a lot of people, and we’ve tried to educate a lot of people.”
In Saturday’s race, Geoffrey Paine, of Robbinsville, took first place overall with a time of 21:40.3. he was followed by Seth Holling, of Cherokee, at 23:26.6 and Emily Wehr, of Robbinsville, at 23:49.9.
Following are results by age group and division as provided by Event Mercenaries:
Female Open
1 – Emily Wehr 23:46.9
2 – Ava Barlow 26:11.7
3 – Shayna Ledford 26:48.3
Male Open
1 – Geoffrey Paine 21:40.3
2 – Seth Holling 23:26.6
3 – Clifford Mantt 25:01.6
Female 6 and under
1 – Sara Toineeta 35:12.1
2 – Abby Weh 43.55.2
Female 7-10
1 – Emma Beasley 27:28.3
2 – Aubree Nichols 30:04.7
3 – Kelle Williams 31:42.5
Male 7-10
1 – Darius Saunooke 27:20.0
2 – Oztin Swayney 28:57.9
3 – Selu Swayney 34:59.2
Female 11-14
1 – Anna Riddle 32:15.6
2 – Chloe Birchfield 32:17.2
3 – Shaylei Brooks 32:17.7
Male 11-14
1 – Jacob Hill 33:12.6
Female 15-18
1 – Malia Little 44:13.3
Female 19-25
1 – Kelly Arch 33:32.4
2 – Joi Owle 49:58.4
Male 19-25
1 – Jordan Garretson 29:40.1
Female 26-35
1 – Mary Caley 29:27.1
2 – Kristin Lane 30:14.6
3 – Emily Willey 30:22.9
Male 26-35
1 – Luke Mattson 37:32.5
Female 36-45
1 – Robin Wolfe 30:24.7
2 – Alicia Jacobs 38:14.0
3 – Jessica Wehr 39:00.7
Male 36-45
1 – Larry Spence 37:48.4
2 – Jim Oocumma 45:51.8
Female 46-50
1 – Shawndee Barlow 33:31.0
2 – Katherine Leasure 47:58.9
Female 51 and over
1 – Carolina Oocumma 35:06.3
2 – Elnora Thompson 38:03.0
3 – Gerri Grady 40:14.0
Male 51 and over
1 – Ed Hill 29:41.0
2 – Ten Bears 45:07.4
3 – David Schwartz 45:51.3
To view or purchase photos from this event, visit:
https://onefeather.smugmug.com/SPORTS/RUNNING/Mothers-Day-5K-at-Kituwah/i-LCh5TbJ
