2nd Annual Adam Thompson 5K Run/Walk Raises Funds for Harford Community College Scholarships

From Harford Community College:

The 2nd Annual Adam Thompson 5K Run/Walk will be held Sunday, April 28, at 8 a.m. at Harford Community College, 401 Thomas Run Road in Bel Air.

The race, on a USA Track and Field Certified Course, honors the memory of Adam Thompson, a first-year Harford Community College student who was killed in an automobile accident in 2011.

On-site race registration takes place in the Susquehanna Center Auxiliary Gymnasium beginning at 7 a.m., with the race starting at 8 a.m. Participants may run as individuals or organize themselves as part of a team.

Prizes will be awarded for the top three men and women finishers as well as for the first to cross the finish line in various age categories: 19 and under; 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59 and 60 and over. Prizes also will be awarded to the top fundraisers and the largest team. The top fundraising team will be honored with a pasta party at Liberatore’s Ristorante in Bel Air. The largest team will be awarded a team pizza party at Pat’s Pizzeria.

Activities at the race include temporary tattoos for the kids, blood pressure checks provided by Upper Chesapeake Health’s HealthLink and Freedom Federal Credit Union’s prize wheel. Heather Ziehl, Mrs. Maryland America 2013, will be on hand to sign autographs.

The cost is $20 per person to participate, and online registration is available in advance at www.harford.edu/adam. For more information, call 443-412-2428.

The race is hosted by The Thompson Family, Harford Community College and The Upper Chesapeake Health Foundation. Proceeds will benefit The Adam Thompson Memorial Nursing Scholarship at Harford Community College and The Adam Thompson Memorial Education Scholarship at Upper Chesapeake Health. Both scholarships support students at Harford Community College.

The goals for this year’s race are to register 300 participants and to raise $20,000 for scholarships.

“In the first year of the run, we raised $17,000, which enabled my husband, Roy, and me to award a total of seven scholarships to students enrolled at Harford Community College,” explained Pat Thompson, Adam’s mother. “Three scholarships were given to students in the nursing program at Harford Community College. Four scholarships were given to children of Upper Chesapeake Health’s employees who are enrolled in degree programs at Harford Community College. My hope is that we will be able to meet or exceed last year’s fundraising total so we can award even more scholarships to help recipients realize their dream of going to college.”

Mandy Turc, a nursing major at Harford Community College, was a recipient of one of the scholarships. “As a student nurse, the gift of education benefits not only me but the community in which I will serve. This scholarship has lifted the financial stress, enabling me to focus all of my efforts into becoming the best nurse possible,” Turc said. “I am sincerely grateful to be a recipient of The Adam Thompson Memorial Nursing Scholarship. The scholarship has been such a vital key in my success.”

Sponsors of this year’s race include Dr. William P. Cook, UCH Joint Center; University of Maryland Emergency Medicine Physicians; Drs. Roger and Melissa Schneider; Clearwater Pool Management; Dr. David Dunn/Harford Primary Care; Dr. Kevin Lynch, Primary Care; The Arena Club; Auston Contracting, Inc.; Mrs. Nancy Devine; Freedom Federal Credit Union; Senator Barry Glassman; Hickory Chance Beef, Inc.; Keystone Generators, Inc.; and Olivia’s Consignment Shop.

For those unable to walk or run but would like to participate, donations may be made to sponsor a participant running or walking in the race, or an outright donation may be made by visiting www.harford.edu/adam.