Participants Brave Cold For CCS’ Turkey Lurkey 5K
People get ready to take off in Combined Community Services’ Turkey Lurkey 5K Run/Walk on Saturday morning, Nov. 19, in Winona Lake. Net proceeds from the event, which led participants on the town’s trails, are going to the nonprofit, which helps people with food, utility payments and more. InkFreeNews photos by Leah Sander.
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews
WINONA LAKE — The temperature was about 20 degrees Saturday morning, Nov. 19, in Winona Lake.
However, that didn’t stop the participants of Combined Community Services’ Turkey Lurkey 5K Run/Walk from braving the cold for a good cause.
About 40 people took part in the race which began by the Winona Lake Senior Center on Park Avenue and led them on a jaunt on the town’s trail system.
Warsaw Community High School student Ryun Hoffert, 18, Warsaw, was the first to cross the finish line in a little more than 16 minutes. The top female finisher was Stephanie Burkholder, 32, Goshen, with a time of around 25 minutes.
Both received pie for their feats. Also receiving a special prize was Maria Demopoulos of Winona Lake.
She found the Beanie Baby turkey hidden along the route and got a frozen turkey as her reward, then generously donated it back to CCS for someone in need.
All top finishers in the different male and female age categories received medals.
Net proceeds from the event are going to benefit CCS’ operations. The Warsaw nonprofit helps people with food, utility payments and more.
It was CCS Community Outreach Director Kiira Churchill who helped bring the 5K back after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors.
“It has always been a great fundraiser for CCS and helped raise some of those crucial operation dollars that we’ve always needed,” she said. “We’re at a point at CCS where we’re seeing such a huge need right now in the community of people that need food or utility assistance or one of the larger things that I think the community is seeing in general is the need for housing.”
“If we can help kind of offset the cost of food or utilities, then hopefully they can designate their funds then to be able to pay that rent, mortgage or whatever the need is,” she continued.
The event was sponsored by Cottage Watchman and Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance agent Hunter Kreft, with the Kosciusko Runners’ Association and the Kosciusko County Velo Cycling Club helping run it Saturday.
Churchill noted the 5K “has always been super fun because we get so many people in the community coming together and supporting what CCS does.”
“We are so excited to bring this back,” added CCS Executive Director Randy Polston. “Just to see what Kiira Churchill has done to bring the team together and the community together to help us do what we do best, and that’s impacting lives in Kosciusko County.”
Turkey Lurkey 5K Results
Top Male Finisher
Ryun Hoffert, 16:28.39
Top Female Finisher
Stephanie Burkholder, 25:05.56
Female 5-9
- Elliana McConnell, 41:06.92
- Kayslin Hurley, 52:02.72
- Maddy Weible, 53:58.22
Male 10-14
- Ethan Miller, 30:33.65
Female 10-14
- Keira Hadley, 30:14.62
- Meghan Rice, 50:39.87
Female 15-19
- Katelyn Brown, 30:05.53
- Lily Robinson, 36:58.62
Male 25-29
- Kenneth Koontz, 53:26.18
Female 25-29
- Kristy Koontz, 50:24.67
Male 30-34
- Nick Lavelle, 32:25.39
Female 30-34
- Brittany Hurley, 52:03.23
- Cassie Weible, 54:00.68
Male 35-39
- Travis McConnell, 41:06.83
- Matthew Hohman, 52:04.87
- Ben Robinson, 57:13.79
Female 35-39
- Ashley Robinson, 36:54.66
Male 40-44
- Alexander Houze, 38:03.54
Female 40-44
- Christine Brown, 32:05.42
- Andrea Baker, 50:44.71
Male 45-49
- Sean Smith, 24:50.33
- Mathew Miller, 26:56.51
Female 45-49
- Amanda Taylor, 34:50.84
- Sylvia Aleman, 36:15.89
- Maria Demopoulos, 47:14.20
Female 50-54
- Kathleen Wilmot, 28:01.23
Male 60-65
- Ruber Falcon, 25:17.73
- Timothy Bender, 31:29.86
Male 66-79
- John Stevens, 35:12.41
- Nou Phouleuanghong, 38:38.17
Female 66-79
- Darcy Orzech, 54:33.51
CCS Executive Director Randy Polston, center, poses with two of his grandchildren, Olivia Smith, left, and London Smith, who donned a turkey costume for the event, before the 5K started.
CCS staff pose near the starting line with London Smith, far right in the turkey costume. From left: Tim Frame, Sarah Frame, Dottie Schang, Randy Polston and Kiira Churchill.
Ryun Hoffert, right, high-fives London Smith, in the turkey costume, as he crosses the finish line. He was the top male finisher and top finisher overall, with a time of 16:28.39.
Posing with London Smith, left, in the turkey costume, and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston, right, is Ryun Hoffert, the top male finisher and top finisher overall.
Stephanie Burkholder, center, was the top female finisher. With her are London Smith, left, in the turkey costume, and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Maria Demopoulos, center, received a frozen turkey for locating a Beanie Baby turkey hidden along the 5K’s route. She would donate the turkey back to CCS to be given to someone in need. With her are London Smith, left, in the turkey costume, and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Finishing in the top three spots in the female ages 5-9 category were Elliana McConnell, first; Kayslin Hurley, second; and Maddy Weible, third. From left: London Smith, in the turkey costume; Weible, McConnell; Hurley; and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Ethan Miller, center, finished first in the male ages 10-14 category. With him are London Smith, left, in the turkey costume and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Finishing in the top two in the female ages 10-14 category were Keira Hadley, first; and Meghan Rice, second. From left: London Smith, in the turkey costume, Hadley, Rice and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
The top two finishers in the female ages 15-19 category were Katelyn Brown, first; and Lily Robinson, second. From left: London Smith, in the turkey costume; Robinson; Brown; and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Finishing first in the male ages 30-34 category was Nick Lavelle, center. With him are London Smith, left, in the turkey costume and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Placing in the top two in the female ages 30-34 category were Brittany Hurley, first; and Cassie Weible, second. From left: London Smith in the turkey costume, Hurley, Weible and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Finishing in the top three in the male ages 35-39 category were Travis McConnell, first; Matthew Hohman, second; and Ben Robinson, third. From left: London Smith in the turkey costume, Robinson, McConnell, Hohman and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Ashley Robinson placed first in female ages 35-39 category. From left: London Smith in the turkey costume, Robinson and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Finishing first in the male ages 40-44 category was Alexander Houze. From left: London Smith in the turkey costume, Houze and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Christine Brown placed first in female ages 40-44 category, and Andrea Baker finished second. From left: London Smith in the turkey costume, Baker, Brown and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Finishing in the top two in the male ages 45-49 category were Sean Smith, first; and Mathew Miller, second. From left: London Smith in the turkey costume, Smith, Miller and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Placing in the top three in the female ages 45-49 category were Amanda Taylor, first; Sylvia Aleman, second; and Maria Demopoulos, third. From left: London Smith in the turkey costume, Demopoulos, Aleman and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston. Not pictured is Taylor.
Kathleen Wilmot finished first in the female ages 50-54 category. From left: London Smith in the turkey costume, Wilmot and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
Placing in the top two in the male ages 60-65 category were Ruber Falcon, first; and Timothy Bender, second. From left: London Smith in the turkey costume, Falcon and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston. Not pictured is Bender.
The top two finishers in the male ages 66-79 category were John Stevens, first; and Nou Phouleuanghong. From left: London Smith in the turkey costume, Stevens, Phouleuanghong and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
The top finisher in the female ages 66-79 category was Darcy Orzech. From left: London Smith in the turkey costume, Orzech and CCS Executive Director Randy Polston.
