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the Homer Horizon | June 14, 2018 | 3
5K Fun Run travels through Messenger Marsh
Knights of Columbus
Council 15022 once
again gives proceeds
to Shady Oaks Camp
Laurie Fanelli
Freelance Reporter
Our Mother of Good
Counsel Parish’s Knights of
Columbus Council 15022
helps people from all over,
but doing good in the greater
Homer Glen area is the organization’s
specialty.
On the morning of Saturday,
June 9, the Knights once
again brought the community
together to participate in
the 5K Fun Run at Messenger
Marsh Forest Preserve
scenic path in Homer Glen.
Along with providing approximately
125 participants
with the perfect excuse to
get out into nature with family
and friends, the fifth annual
event also raised money
for Shady Oaks Camp — a
recreational summer camp
for people with disabilities
— which is also located in
Homer Glen.
“This 5K is about fellowship
and bringing everyone
together,” Council 15022
Grand Knight Edward Plebanek
explained. “That’s
one of the reasons we do
this. We also help out Shady
Oaks Camp, which is local.
This is our third year benefitting
them.”
Thunderstorms threatened
the event in the early morning
hours, but by the 9 a.m.
start time, the precipitation
had dwindled to a light drizzle.
Some participants put on
ponchos, and some carried
umbrellas as they took to the
double-loop course at Messenger
Marsh.
Deputy Grand Knight
Matt Obradovic looked for
the silver lining in hosting a
rainy race.
Homer Glen residents Natalie (left) and Sarah Rabka make their way through the doubleloop
course of the 5K Fun Run Saturday, June 9, at Messenger Marsh Forest Preserve.
Photos by Laurie Fanelli/22nd Century Media
“It’s better than 100 degrees
and blazing sun,” he
said. “You can walk. It’s
cool. And, you don’t need
to splash water on your face,
because Mother Nature will
do that for you. It’s a good
time.”
Homer Glen residents
Sarah and Natalie Rabaka,
16 and 12, respectively,
were ready for the weather,
though Natalie was the more
enthusiastic of the pair.
“I love it,” Natalie said.
“Because it reminds me of
when I was younger, and I
would play in the mud.”
Sarah added that she
hoped it wouldn’t pour, but
she was OK with a little rain.
She said, “I don’t want to
get soaking wet, but this is
better than it being humid
out.”
Sarah and Natalie’s aunt,
Marcia Edwards, of Homer
Glen, loves the annual 5K
Fun Run because of the location,
the organization,
the community and, above
all else, because it benefits
Shady Oaks Camp.
“Shady Oaks is an amazing
camp,” Edwards said.
“It’s incredible what they do
with their campers. We love
this community — it’s fantastic.”
Raising money for Shady
Oaks was also a motivating
factor behind Lockport
resident Rebecca Straub’s
decision to participate in
the 5K with her husband,
Jim, children, Angelina, 6,
and Luciano, 3, and mother,
Mary Jo O’Connor, of
Homer Glen.
“I just did my first 5K last
weekend, and we wanted to
do another one,” Straub said.
“This event has a great cause
that we heard about from our
church, St. Bernard [Parish].”
O’Connor agreed, saying,
“That was the driving force.
I really think Shady Oaks
does a phenomenal job.”
Race organizers also persevered
in setting up the 5K
despite the rain. The Rev.
Joseph Broudou, of Our
Mother of Good Counsel
Parish, delivered a blessing
before runners approached
the starting line.
The race was not professionally
timed or certified,
hence it being called the 5K
Fun Run. However, the race
was timed by volunteers,
and awards were given to
top finishers in various age
categories.
The first-place finisher
of the 5K Fun Run was
15-year-old Nolan Enright,
who finished the course in a
time of 19:44.2. Jill Zezulka,
49, was the top finisher on
the female side, clocking in
with a time of 26:52.7.
Several local businesses
sponsored the event, and a
raffle featuring a variety of
prize baskets provided participants
with further opportunities
to raise money for
Shady Oaks Camp.
Following the 5K, the
OMGC Knights of Columbus
are gearing up for
a busy weekend during
Homer Community Fest,
which is slated to run from
Thursday, June 21, through
Sunday, June 24.
“We are hosting the Homer
Fest beer tent on Sunday,
[June 24], and we will also
Canine Amerigold Vespoochie leads the way for Homer
Glen residents Rosanne and Ben Nuzzo on the 5K course.
The Rev. Joseph Broudou, of Our Mother of Good Counsel
Parish, delivers a pre-race blessing.
participate in the parade,”
Plebanek said.
Our Mother of Good Counsel
Parish is located at 16043
S. Bell Road in Homer Glen.
For more information
about the Knights of Columbus
Council 15022, as well
as the 5K Fun Run, visit
www.omgcknights.com.
Bob Spychalski
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