More than 150 Participate in Schools Against Cancer 5K Run/Walk

Despite the gray skies and a brisk wind, 162 runners and walkers, a mix of students and adults, ran or walked 3.1 miles Saturday morning in Pomona to raise money for cancer. More than $3,200 was collected in the 3^rd Annual Rockland County Schools Against Cancer 5K Run/Walk for Relay for Life. 

Nanuet dominated the field with resident Jamie Kempton finishing first with a time of 18:04. On his heels in 18:21 was Nanuet High School Freshman Kyle Chesterman. The first female finisher in 21:15 North Rockland Junior Kristen Schnalzer, who was 19th overall. Nanuet High School received the School Spirit Award for registering 88 participants including members of the track and lacrosse teams, parents and other adults. 

“I didn’t expect to win,” said Kempton. “I remembered the course.” He took the lead about halfway through but noted Chesterman was pushing the pace through the entire race.

Race organizers, Nanuet Girls Track Coach and Middle School Teacher Sheri Dempsey and Nanuet High School Teacher Nancy Logan said all proceeds from the race go to the Rockland County American Cancer Society. Both are members of the local organization's Board of Advisers. 

Dempsey said the race is specifically scheduled to take place between the end of the indoor track season and the start of the spring outdoor season. “It gets high school students out for some unity and some practice,” she explained.

Logan says she and Dempsey organized the race because they knew a lot of young people whose lives had been affected by cancer either personally or have family members or friends who have battled the disease. “We are hoping to give awareness to younger people and give them a way to help out,” said Logan.

This is the second year in a row Nanuet received the Spirit plaque. Suffern High School had the most entrants the first year and fielded the second largest group this year. The other participating high schools were Clarkstown North, Tappan Zee, Nyack, North Rockland, Albertus Magnus, Clarkstown South and East Ramapo. The race started and ended in the Herbert Reisman Sports Complex and wound through local streets.

The race is a modified version of Relay for Life events which can last for up to 24 hours and have teams of people taking turns to walk and run around a track to raise money to fight cancer.