On Saturday, October 28, Boys Home of Virginia hosted its 7th annual fall fundraiser, the Harvest Hustle 5K, 10K and Half-Marathon at the Intervale Trailhead of the Jackson River Scenic Trail! One hundred and fifteen participants gathered to compete on a beautiful fall day. Racers from all over Virginia and West Virginia, as well as North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Utah, enjoyed the friendly competition. Bottled water and Gatorade were provided by sponsors for participants, along with the tasty baked goods, coffee, and specialty teas for sale by local Covington vendor, Kanawha Café.
All runners received a long-sleeved t-shirt with the race logo and a one-of-a-kind participation medal as they crossed the finish line. A collectable 16 oz. glass mug with logo was given to the top three fastest male and female racers in each age group, as well as a certificate of their accomplishment. The overall top three male and female racers for each race won a collectible acrylic Boys Home house-shaped trophy. All first-place winners also received a gift certificate to Lex Running Shop in Lexington, Virginia.
Overall winners in the 5K race were 1st place male – Cedric Drennen (24) of Clifton Forge, VA finishing at 15:38, 2nd place male – Joshua Anglin (16) of Covington, VA finishing at 19:07, and 3rd place male – Nickolas Powell (16) of Covington, VA finishing at 20:16. First place female – Brittany Unroe (32) of Covington, VA with a time of 21:41, 2nd place female – Charlotte Taylor (13) of Covington, VA finishing at 25:36, and 3rd place female – Madilyn Via (13) from Covington, VA finishing at 27:03.
Overall winners in the 10K race were 1st place male – Samuel Urffer (37) of Lewisburg, WV with a time of 45:34, 2nd place male – Ethan Forbes (21) of Covington, VA finishing at 46:35, and 3rd place male – Nolan Rosales (13) of Covington, VA finishing at 48:40. First Place female – Alania Lowman (47) of Clifton Forge, VA, finishing at 51:35, 2nd place female – Hannah Seldomridge (28) from Roanoke, VA finishing at 56:24, and 3rd place female – Colleen Urffer (36) from Lewisburg, WV finishing at 57:33.
The overall winners for the half-marathon were 1st place male – Derek Batey (52) of Roanoke, VA with a time of 1:41:05, 2nd place male – Liam Brown (62) from Lincoln University, PA finishing at 1:42:31, and 3rd place male – Eduardo Sanchez (25) from Covington, VA finishing at 1:48:18. First place female – Rachael Thompson (39) of Covington, VA finishing at 1:46:25, 2nd place female – Michelle Mackie (52) from Lexington, VA finishing at 1:54:59, and 3rd place female – Adrien Monti (44) from Roanoke, VA finishing at 2:22:32.
The finish times for each race are listed on www.runforboyshome.org along with photos to commemorate the day.
Boys Home would like to thank Run Roanoke, the Falling Spring and Covington Rescue Squads, Kanawha Café, Alleghany Parks and Recreation, as well as all participants and volunteers for making this event possible. Boys Home is also very grateful for the generosity of the many businesses that sponsor the Harvest Hustle each year. A huge thank you to the following event sponsors: Lexington Prescription Center, Alleghany Highlands Community Services, WestRock, Highlands Community Bank, Silvercrest Asset Management, TTCE/E-ZPass VA, Campbell Insurance, Old Dominion Furniture Company, Persinger Memorial United Methodist Church, McDonough Toyota, K. McConnell Legal, Spencer Home Center, Jackson River Community Credit Union, The Rail Bar and Grille, The Cat & Owl, J & K Electric, West Winds Venue, The Recorder, Edward Jones Investments, The Law Firm of William T. Wilson, Jack Mason’s Tavern & Brewery, Slaughter and Slaughter Family Dentistry, Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative, Grand Home Furnishings, Valley Supermarket IGA, Lex Running Shop.
This wonderful event is not only a fundraiser, but it helps to raise awareness of Boys Home and the services that are provided for the young men thy serve. The vision of Boys Home is to provide a community that inspires young men to positively impact those around them. This event shows the commitment and discipline needed to be a runner, the tenacity never to give up, and the importance of always striving to do your best. It also provides a great example of how a community can come together and support each other.
Boys Home is grateful to everyone who helped make the 7th annual Harvest Hustle a huge success!
