Two hundred people walked or ran five kilometers in Athens Township to raise money for a new college scholarship, and to honor Jim King, the chairman of the township’s board of supervisors who died of brain cancer at age 44 last July.
home : news : news : local news
Scholarship fund benefits from inaugural event
By JAMES LOEWENSTEIN 06/25/2006
email this storyEmail to a friendprinter friendlyPrinter-friendly
ATHENS — Two hundred people walked or ran five kilometers in Athens Township to raise money for a new college scholarship, and to honor Jim King, the chairman of the township’s board of supervisors who died of brain cancer at age 44 last July.
“The turnout is phenomenal,” King’s sister Linda Rogers said at the opening ceremony for the event, which is was called the First Annual Jim King Memorial Scholarship 5K Walk/Run.
Jason Moore of Waverly, an organizer of the event, said he was only expecting 80 to 100 people to participate in the walk/run.
Speakers at the ceremony — which included state Rep. Tina Pickett, Athens Township Supervisor Ron Reagan and Rogers — remembered King as a cheerful man who inspired others and was always willing to help.
The proceeds from Saturday’s event, which are in the thousands of dollars, will be used to establish a scholarship at Athens Area High School for a student who plans a career in the area of public service, said King and Pickett.
“What better gift to our community could there be?” Pickett said.
King, who was also the chief of the Athens Volunteer Fire Co. when he was diagnosed with cancer, “had played a guiding role” in the founding of the fire company, said Jack Walter, an Athens Township supervisor.
Participating in the 5K walk/run were Jim King’s brother, Dick King; Jim King’s mother, Fran Simko; his son, Devin, and his grandson, Dustin King.
Saturday’s event also included a disc jockey, a dunking booth, a silent auction, a chicken barbecue and other food for sale.
All proceeds from the event will be used to support the scholarship, Rogers said.
The top male finisher in the walk/run was Jim Derrick of the Elmira/Horseheads area, who had a time of 16:14.
The top female finisher was Lori Kingsley, who had a time of 18:17.
Rogers said she did not know yet how much money was raised from the event, but said it would be in the thousands of dollars.
Three donations toward the establishment of the Jim King Memorial Scholarship were announced at the ceremony. Those donations were $500 from the Athens Township supervisors; $250 from the Athens Police Benevolent Association; and $200 from Greater Valley Emergency Medical Services, Rogers said./JAMES LOEWENSTEIN - thedailyreview.com
James Loewenstein can be reached at (570) 265-1633; or email: jloewenstein@thedailyreview.com
« Scholarship winners deserve every penny | Student receives Barry Scholarship »