St. Jude School in New Lenox sponsored their first annual “Running With Faith” event on Saturday, August 21st. At 8:30 am, over 300 participants took off running or walking the 5 K course which took them from the front door of the church through the New Lenox Commons, and then through nearby neighborhoods and back to the school parking lot.

The First Place Overall Male was Eric Crutchfield of Romeoville with a time of 18:50.3. The First Place Overall Female (over the age of 15) was Barb Cisler of Darien with a time of 21:38.4.

All the Southwestern Suburbs were very well represented in the run/walk as well as participants coming from Chicago, Addison, Aurora, West Chicago, and Kenilworth. Families from as far as O’Fallon, Illinois, Highland and Crown Point Indiana, Kansas City, Missouri and even New Jersey joined in the fun! It was a challenging race for the serious athletes and fun for the whole family.

After the run, participants enjoyed food, beverages, music, a raffle and games for the kids while awaiting the awards ceremony. The St. Jude Council Knights of Columbus supplied the hamburgers, hot dogs and beverages.

Co-chairs for “Running With Faith” were Leslie Nolan, mother of 5th and 6th grade girls at St. Jude School and Katie Sluzas who has a 2nd grade son and a son who will enter the new St. Jude pre-school beginning this fall. Nolan and Sluzas indicated they are pleased with the results of the inaugural event and are well into planning next year’s run. Both expressed their gratitude to all the sponsors for the event and all those who volunteered their time to help with the preparations and the event itself.

All proceeds from the run/walk benefit St. Jude School.