Torch Run a success

POLSON — The Alpha Upsilon chapter of the Beta Sigma Phi adult women’s sorority hosted its first Torch Scholarship Run on Sunday, and Lake County residents came out in droves to run the 5K or half-marathon on the streets of Polson.

Good for more than a little healthy exercise, all proceeds generated from the entries went toward a college scholarship for Polson graduate Sean Foot, chosen from 10 applicants for his outstanding contribution to his community.

Foot will receive $250 toward his first year’s tuition and an additional $500 his sophomore year provided he keeps up his grade point average above a 3.0.

Foot was unable to run the race because he came down with a case of laryngitis, but was very thankful for the scholarship and participants that ran in his benefit.

“I think it was really great that the community is supportive of future students, to help us attend college so we can give back to the community,” he said, adding that he thanks all of the Torch Run organizers and participants for their effort.

Foot worked with Key Club since his freshman year, organizing high school and community programs such as food drives all four years of college. He also helped start Project Life, which hosted a week of prevention classes and tutors students. All in all he served over 400 hours of community service and will attend Gonzaga  University in the fall. 

Alpha Upsilon race director Heidi Sturm said Foot embodied the spirit of the scholarship.

“He was just so impressive. He really gets the fact that we’re in service to one another,” she said.

Sturm said she hoped for 75 5K participants and another 20 to run the long haul. An amazing 127 total runners showed up - not just Polsonites - to leave those expectations in the dust.

“It was awesome,” Sturm said. “We raised enough for the scholarship and to cover the cost of the race and get started on next year. That’s great.”

Organizing the run laid a lot of weight on Sturm’s shoulders - but she didn’t do it alone. In fact, Sturm said, there’s no way she could have.

“It was such a neat experience. As I leaned back and watched it unravel, I realized that it couldn’t have been done without every single person that helped contributing their part. It was such a humbling experience,” she said.

Polson Search and Rescue directed traffic and the Polson Police Department and the Ronan ambulance service provided safe roads for runners. Those organizations and the members of her Beta group were among the many Sturm wished to thank for their assistance in making the run such a success, she said.

And then there were the runners themselves.

The top finisher in the half-marathon was Polson resident Matt Seeley, who ran the 13.2 miles in just 1:19:05. The runners up for the men were Chris Tippett of Butte (1:28:17), Jeremy Morget of Polson (1:30:41), Chris McElwee of Polson (1:36:01) and John Kensek of St. Ignatius (1:38:03).

Polson resident Jenni Brown finished the half-marathon in 1:36:22 to finish fourth overall. Women runners up were Lindsey Bengston of Polson (1:39:08), Kali Kirkendall (1:41:35) and Rebecca Duffy (1:41:38) of Whitefish and Heather Mergenthaler (1:43:07) of Polson.

The top male finisher in the 5K was Charlo resident Jean-Paul Toussaint (19:46) followed by Aja (19:54) and Bill Starkey (20:58) of Polson, and Erick Stedje (21:26) and Jason DeSanto (22:06) of Ronan.   

In the women’s division, Polson resident Jayme Cotter (26:33) took top honors, followed by Sharon Toussaint (27:41) of Charlo and Joleen Barce (28:43), Josey Motichka (29:01) and Michaela Capps (29:05) of Polson.

Aja finished the fastest among the 13-year-old and younger boys, and Josey did the same for the girls.

The day’s only runner in the over-70 age group, 82-year-old Evaro resident Bob Hayes, ran the half-marathon in 2:08:35.

For some it was just a matter of getting out with the family.

The Vaughan family of St. Ignatius was one such unit, making the local runs a regular routine since last year’s Thanksgiving Turkey Trot.

The Vaughan family car’s license plate reads “5K FAMILY.”

Why do they do it?

“For the shirt,” mother Amy Vaughan said, jokingly.

The Torch Run T-shirts featured a logo designed by Polson graduate Tasha Conrad of a runner across the flaming “Torch Run” text - not too shabby and good enough to win the logo design contest held by the race organizers.

But really, Amy and husband David do it to encourage a positive lifestyle for themselves and their kids, Philip and Hannah.

“You just encourage your kids to be and live healthy,” Amy said.