First Posted: 9/2/2014
Four short months ago, the 1989 classes of both Pittston Area and Wyoming Area talked about doing a combined fundraiser and, on Saturday, Aug. 30, that idea became a reality.
To mark the 25th anniversary of graduating from high school, organizers decided to do something fun and raise money for a cause on each side of the river. What they came up with was the birth of the inaugural Rivalry Run, a 5K walk/run race.
The charities chosen for the inaugural event were the Jamie Baker Memorial Scholarship Fund from Pittston Area and the Wyoming Area Warrior Pride Scholarship Fund. Both funds will benefit future graduates from each school.
“Jennifer Baker, a graduate of Pittston Area class of 1989, is the mother of Jamie and, being she is a classmate, we thought it was a great idea to raise money for the memorial fund,” said Phil Pisano, event organizer from Pittston Area. “We talked it over with Maria (Karcutskie) from Wyoming Area and the idea took off.”
Jamie Baker died in 2012. She was a Pittston Area cheerleader and a member of the class of 2015. Her memorial scholarship is in its second year. The past June, three students were awarded scholarship money totaling $3,500.
“The Wyoming Area Pride Scholarship is a brand new scholarship that has yet to be determined on criteria,” Karcutskie said. “We will sit down in the next few months to iron it out.”
According to Karcutskie, the group anticipated 75 participants but the final count was 125, getting the inaugural event off to a great start.
The 5K began at Pittston Area High School’s Charley Trippi Stadium and ended with a lap around Wyoming Area’s Anthony “Jake” Sobeski Stadium in West Pittston. “With the extra lap around the stadium, it would make it exactly 5K,” Karcutskie added.
Runners ran throughout Jenkins Township, Pittston City and West Pittston during the course.
The top male runner was Michael McAndrew with a time of 17:99. Deedra Porfirio was the top female winner with a time of 18:91. According to McAndrew, this is the third event he and Porfirio finished in first together.
