Buttercup run helps Arlee teachers
Karen Peterson photo
Runners take off Saturday during the Buttercup Run with Dallas Swab, 9, and Aiden Swab, 7, out in front.
Karen Peterson photo
RJ Knoll, 11, was the first runner across the finish line with his 8:44 mile in the 1 Mile Fun Run.
Karen Peterson photo
left: A family of runners turns out to support the local school with Talon, 3, and Ashley, 6, out in front followed by their mom, Jena Ferlan.
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Instead of looking for Easter eggs on Saturday morning, many laced up their running shoes for the annual Buttercup Run.
“I asked them if they wanted to go to the Easter egg hunts because they are at the same time, but they said ‘no way, we are doing the race,’” parent Wendy Swab said of Dallas, 9, and Aiden, 7.
Friends of Arlee School organized the event to raise money for scholarships given to graduating Arlee students, and this year they are doing something different.
“Our schools can’t afford basic supplies,” said Tony Hoyt, Friends of Arlee School member. “We are giving more of the money to teachers to help them buy whatever they need for their classroom. We’ve gotten applications mostly from teachers in the elementary. We are still giving the scholarships.”
It might have been the holiday weekend or the rain, but attendance for the event was a bit lower than usual, although more than 200 people participated.
“We knew people would be leaving for the holiday but we also thought people would be coming in,” he said. “We tried to schedule it so it worked with other events.”
But the scholarship fund won’t suffer.
“We get support not only from runners but sponsors,” he said. “Last year we were able to give around $8,000 in scholarships. We like to give scholarships to kids that might not have good grades but they really have a need.”
Local artist Karen Fisher designed the shirts for the event with a Grizzly bear on the front and the material was more like a running shirt than the traditional cotton.
“We’ve got the best shirts ever,” said Joe Weydt, Friends of Arlee School member. “I hope we can do something similar next year.”
Results
(top three overall only)
Half Marathon Run
Female Finishers
1Wendy Sitter, Polson1:43:56.33
2Kim Grover, Seeley Lake1:46:54.55
3Raina Stene, Polson1:47:50.32
Male Finishers
1Henry Reich, Missoula1:16:45.42
2Tim Caramore, Missoula1:17:50.13
3Jake Stueben, Kalispell1:28:03.18
10K Walk
Female Finishers
1Beth Beringer, Missoula1:18:32.52
2Nancy Kinsey, Missoula1:18:33.18
3Carolyn Mirich, Missoula1:27:04.91
Male Finishers
1Brian Big Sam, Arlee1:31:04.06
10K Run
Female Finishers
1Mahalia Hendren, Arlee43:50.60
2Rhonda Hendren, Arlee50:15.96
3Mariah Earhart, Butte51:54.26
Male Finishers
1Keith Hertel, Bayview, Idaho40:25.26
2Robert Earhart, Butte43:28.18
3Patrick Dillon, Bozeman45:02.84
5K Run/Walk
Female Finishers
1Becca Whitesell, Arlee23:56.40
2Amber Ball25:44.70
3Jerny Crawford, Arlee26:25.77
Male Finishers
1Craig Lerch, Bozeman20:37.13
2Colin Elverud, Dixon 22:21.43
3Rylan Crawford, Arlee23:11.19
1 Mile Fun Run
Female Finishers
1Shelby Smith, Arlee10:38.26
2Salome Daniel, Missoula12:22.49
3Delani Thomas, Missoula12:49.14
Male Finishers
1RJ Knoll, Missoula8:44.74
2Drew Knoll, Missoula9:00.44
3Aaron Luke, Polson13:49.79
