Runners Raise Money for Kids with Cancer

 In its second year, the Cool Kids 5K, a fun run with proceeds benefiting children with cancer, is on track to topple its first year goal of $15,000. 

More than 200 volunteers and runners turned out in the early morning on Saturday at Lutherville’s ’s parking lot. The runners did their warm-ups in the still-cool morning air, pinned a number to their shirts, and then they were off, racing through the streets of the surrounding neighborhood.

They ran the second annual Cool Kids 5K, and Kids One Mile Fun Run. The races benefit the Cool Kids Campaign, a nonprofit organization that tutors Baltimore-area children who are being treated for cancer, to help keep them current in their schoolwork.

Last year, the races raised more than $15,000. 

Sharon Perfetti, co-founder and executive director of the Cool Kids Campaign, said the race registrations for Saturday's run had already raised more than $10,000, and many more pledges were still being calculated.

“I just had pledges in my e-mails this morning, so people are still doing that,” said Perfetti. She guessed the final totals would be announced within a week.

Event organizers Nydia Peel and Monica Enoch of Lutherville are committed to raising funds for the organization. Peel learned about the organization last year. She said she was moved to make a donation.

“We were running one day and she said, ‘Monica, we’re doing something.’ It was all her idea,” said Enoch of the fundraising event’s inception.

The idea for a race came naturally to Peel and Enoch, both runners.

“Monica and Nydia just do this out of the goodness of their heart,” said Perfetti. “Last year was a phenomenal first year. It was incredible. This year is just as great.”

Runners of all ages laced up their sneakers for the event. Some of the youngest participants hopped out of their jogging strollers and trotted across the finish line, all smiles, next to their parents.

School-aged children were no less enthusiastic.

’s after-school running club, the Lutherville Lappers, has been training for this event since early spring. Seventeen Lappers came to run the 5K, many with their parents, under the guidance of both of Lutherville Lab’s physical education teachers, Dan Nicholson and John Bruns.

“There’s been a Lappers Club for four years, but for two years now we’ve been linked to the Cool Kids Campaign, running for this reason,” Bruns said.

"I could not be happier with them," said Nicholson.

Natalie O’Connor, a fourth-grader at Lutherville, completed the race with her mom, Lisa O’Connor.

“Natalie and I did it together. She ran most of the way,” said Lisa. “It was a great course—a little hilly.”

Alex Ozbolt, a fifth-grader, came with his father, Joel Ozbolt. Alex said before the race, “It makes me feel great to know that I’m running for people with cancer. This is my first 5K, so I hope to do well.”

Alex was the first Lutherville Lapper to cross the finish line.

The majority of the funds raised will go toward the development of the Cool Kids Learning Center, opening the doors of its new Towson location in early August. The Learning Center will provide tutoring to children battling cancer to help keep them current with their schoolwork.

It will also provide a social outlet, called a Teen Club, for the kids who spend much of their illness isolated from their peers.

“When you’re in high school, and the end of middle school, you’re a teenager, even if you have cancer,” Perfetti said. “So this is really helpful when we can give these teens an opportunity to just be themselves. When they’re with a bunch of other kids who have cancer, it takes it out of the equation.”

The learning center complete with a social outlet for kids with cancer is the first of its kind.

“It’s very exciting—it’s never been done before, so we’re going to figure it out as we go along,” Perfetti said.

According to Perfetti, in the Baltimore area alone, there are between 500 and 600 kids being treated for cancer. That number doesn’t count the cancer survivors who are still dealing with the neuro-cognitive effects of chemotherapy.

“The effects of chemo last for years,” Perfetti said. “Even once they’re done with their treatments, and they’re back in school, the survivors can come and utilize the tutoring until they’re where they need to be.”

Rob Belanger, chairman and co-founder of the Cool Kids Campaign, said, “We got great people like Monica, Nydia, and a ton of volunteers, and a lot of people in the community coming together, to help raise money for children who are battling cancer. A lot of donated food, a lot of donated water, EMTs volunteering time—it’s just incredible.”

Raffle prizes for the runners were donated by local businesses, such as in Timonium, Auto Spa in Cockeysville and Studio 1612 Salon in Mt. Washington.

The top three fastest men for the 5K were:

• Neville Anderson, of Baltimore, 19:06
• Jeffrey Garstecki, of Columbia, 20:06
• Sean Duffy, of Reisterstown, 21:07.

“That’s a six minute mile, y’all,” said Belanger, when he announced the results. “Holy mackerel.”

The top three fastest women were:

• Lizzy Peper, of Lutherville, 23:36
• Linda McShane, of Baltimore, 24:03
• Stephanie Wilson, of Timonium, 24:35.

Peper, an eleventh-grade cross country and track runner at Towson High School, said, “It was really fun and I liked the course, and it was a nice small race. So it was really fun.”