Red Ribbon Run promotes a substance-free life
Walkers and runners gathered in San Juan Bautista Oct. 30 for
the 21st annual Red Ribbon Week, which culminated in a 1-mile fun
walk and a 5K run.
Early morning showers dissipated as registration began. Runners
and walkers gathered on Second Street, near the San Juan Mission.
Pre-registered runners received a T-shirt commemorating the event
and the runners received a monitor to go around their ankle to
record their time as they crossed the finish line.
Red Ribbon Run promotes a substance-free life
Walkers and runners gathered in San Juan Bautista Oct. 30 for the 21st annual Red Ribbon Week, which culminated in a 1-mile fun walk and a 5K run.
Early morning showers dissipated as registration began. Runners and walkers gathered on Second Street, near the San Juan Mission. Pre-registered runners received a T-shirt commemorating the event and the runners received a monitor to go around their ankle to record their time as they crossed the finish line.
Just before the 1-mile fun walk began, Tenille Ramirez sang the national anthem. The walk began at 9:30 a.m., with most of the walkers returning in time to start the 5K by 10 a.m. The run headed north on Second Street, passed Casa Maria and out toward farmland in north San Juan Bautista, before turning back toward town. The first runner to complete the 3.1-mile run came in at 19:06.3, with the last runners coming in at close to an hour.
Sponsored by the San Benito County Behavioral Health department, the theme this year was “Run Your Own Life” and activities were held at local schools to encourage an alcohol and drug free lifestyle. The department also held a poster contest for San Benito students in grades K-12. The run and raffle raised money for the county’s substance abuse programs.
To pull off the event, the Behavioral Health department staff enlisted the help of many groups, including the Hollister Police Department, California Highway Patrol, San Benito county AOD Prevention staff, San Benito County Sheriff’s Department and Deputy Explorers, San Benito County Probation, San Benito County Office of Education, City of San Juan Bautista, the San Juan Bautista State Historic Park and the San Benito County AMR.
“We would like to thank all of the volunteers who assisted us on Saturday morning,” said Renee Hankla, the substance abuse program manager. “Our volunteers are the best. We were very proud to work along side of them and were grateful for all of their hard work and dedication.”
After the race, guest speaker Daniel Longoria talked to the crowd from a balcony above Second Street. Longoria works in gang prevention in another county. He talked about his own experiences with gangs, drugs and alcohol.
“I was allergic to alcohol,” he said. “I didn’t know it, but I kept breaking out. I kept breaking out in handcuffs.”
He spent time in juvenile hall as a youth and did his last stint at Pelican Bay before turning his life around at 29. He told the crowd that for all the years he didn’t listen to the people who tried to help him, he was somehow absorbing all the things they told him and it eventually clicked for him.
After the lecture, the staff gave out raffle prizes – each runner received a raffle ticket when they crossed the finish line and additional tickets were available for sale. Local businesses to donate to the raffle included Gold’s Gym, Supercuts, San Juan Oaks, Windmill Market, Premier Cinemas, Attitudes and Images, Chevy’s, Chili’s, Dona Esther’s, Country Cuts, Casa de Fruta, Kristina’s Mexican Restaurant and Costco.
Red Ribbon Run 5K results
Females 9 and under
1.) Natalie Mazaud – 24:04.8
Females 10 to 13
1.) Sarah Muzik – 23:08.4
2.) Amy Quinones – 23:09.3
3.) Megan Parsons – 27:20.9
Female 14 to 19
1.) Sabrina Gonzalez – 28:41.2
Female 20 to 29
1.) Ericha Hager – 22:26.0
2.) Mallory Lineberry – 29:07.4
3.) Annie Eldon – 31:06.3
Female 30 to 29
1.) DeeDee Briano – 22:54.9
2.) Angelica Flores – 26:08.7
3.) Christol Castaneda – 27:43.9
Female 40 to 49
1.) Jacqueline Fancher – 29:59.7
2.) Christine Sloand – 31:17.3
3.) Michelle Perez-Picha – 31:25.6
Female 50 to 59
1.) Diane Phariss – 25:27.5
2.) Alda Silveira – 30:02.6
3.) Nancy MacLean – 38:43.2
Male 9 and under
1.) Adrian Duran – 47:11.7
Male 10 to 13
1.) Emmanuel Servin – 22:25.0
2.) Jacob Gonzalez – 28:02.3
3.) Christopher Johst – 33:35.3
Male 14 to 19
1.) Steven Johst – 21:07.6
2.) Jeremy Hale – 29:18.3
3.) Jonathan Crowther – 31:45.0
Males 20 to 29
1.) Charles Miller – 19:28.7
2.) Raul Lomeli – 27:04.9
3.) Aaron Gautney – 27:16.1
Male 30 to 39
1.) Christian Santana – 27:00.1
2.) Valdo Rodriguez – 31:15.8
3.) Al Appeola – 40:42.9
Male 40 to 49
1.) Rob Zimmerman – 19:06.3
2.) Carlos Vasquez – 20:45.3
3.) Daniel Gonzalez – 21:11.7
Male 50 to 59
1.) John Kane – 23:11.4
2.) Jean-Paul Mazaud – 24:11.8
3.) Dan Dungy – 29:30.3
Male 60 and over
1.) Tom Jones – 30:05.2
2.) John Gudgeon – 31:47.4
