The Portage Township YMCA held a Flashback 5K along the Prairie Duneland Trail on Friday. This year's run was Prom-themed and runners and walkers got in the spirit things as they showed up in everything from dresses and tutu's to button down shirts and ties. The YMCA showed their fun side by hosting a dance party after all the racers had finished the course, and held an awards ceremony where the ‘Y’ recognized and showed appreciated for the collaborative work by local partners around the community.
“This is the wrap-up event to our annual support campaign,” said Amber Alexander, the YMCA’s Interim Chief Executive Officer. “The money we raise will go towards the youth scholarships we give out every year. We also wanted to give thanks to our partners who have stuck with us over the years. Our YMCA has gone through two CEO’s in the last three years and has been going through a bit of a transition. We want to let these great organizations know how much we appreciate them and everything they’ve done to help.”
Receiving awards after the race were St. Mary Medical Center, Portage Township Schools, and PortageLife.com.
“We have an amazing partnership with the YMCA,” said Lisa Kiger, Director of Business Development for St. Mary Medical Centers. “It’s been more of a collaboration than a partnership over the last five years. There’s such a nice synergy between the two. They have such a great facility and we’ve been able to establish a wellness office here to try and reach more people and connect with them on ways to eat better and exercise more. We all work busy hours and health care costs are going up. Together we can tailor programs for individual needs and provide guidance to members of the community looking to get healthy. St. Mary has really been focusing on kids and helping them understand the importance of their health. There’s a lot of strength in this partnership. We’re always looking for ways that we can help each other and I know that over the years we’ve touched a lot of lives together.”
Pam Antonetti, PortageLife.com's representative recipient was equally as happy to receive the award.
"We are honored to be awarded the Portage Township YMCA Positive Impact Partner of the Year," Antonetti said. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with their great team in promoting and sharing all their positive contributions to our community!"
The YMCA has also formed a very close relationship with Portage Township Schools. Through youth development and education programs, the Y is involved with children of all ages and all walks of life. They offer well-rounded, active learning opportunities where kids can grow strong in a safe, nurturing environment.
“The YMCA is becoming a greater part of the community under Amber’s leadership,” said Dr. Richard Weigel, Superintendent of Portage Township Schools. “We wouldn’t be able to provide these services, especially after school, that are such a good mix of fun and academic. We know that kids can come here and they are well taken care of. We are both in the same business of taking care of kids in the community.”
The winner of this years Flashback 5K was 14 year old Luke Tilford. Luke is from Portage and is active in Track and Cross Country. His time was 23:14.