A portion of the money raised went to the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club, as well as the Holyoke Police Officer's Ball.
Approximately 300 men, women and children faced a challenge on Saturday afternoon: to try to outrun the law.
The third annual “Holyoke Police Foot Pursuit” was a 3.5-mile race held at the Holyoke Elks Lodge. Participants paid a $25 entry fee to raise money for the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club and the Holyoke Police Officer’s Ball.
“I’m running to train for a marathon, so I’m working toward my goal in August,” said Sean Coughlin, an officer in the Holyoke Police Department.
“I wanted to run with all the other police officers, and to support the law enforcement and One Fund Boston,” said Holyoke PD officer Dan Stuck. He said a portion of the money raised also went to One Fund Boston.
Members from the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club volunteered, registering runners and distributing t-shirts, as well as other tasks.
“It’s helping us to support programming; it’s very hard to find sources of funding, so I thank the Holyoke Police Department. We have a great working relationship with the City of Holyoke and its police department,” said Victor Rojas of the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club.
The race was led by a Holyoke PD truck, carrying a timer on the back for runners to keep track of their times.
The first person to cross the finish line was Guillermo Godreau Rivera, a senior at Holyoke High School. He finished the race in just under 20 minutes.
“It feels good. The Boys and Girls Club sponsored me, so I’m proud to represent them and the City of Holyoke,” said Rivera.
Rivera’s friend and fellow track team member RJ Landry finished in a close second place.
“It feels great, this is my first time running this race and it was a lot of fun,” said Landry. He said the race helped him stay in shape, since Holyoke High is in the middle of their track season.
Mary Thomas was the first woman to cross the finish line, coming in at just under 25 minutes.
“It feels great to finish. This is my first race in about four years. I just had my fourth baby in December,” said Thomas.
After the race concluded, runners were offered food and entertainment, such as a dunk tank that was set up outside the Elks Lodge. Holyoke police officers said they were happy with the turnout, and to be able to raise funds for great causes.