Dollar Dash raises money for Big Bend scholarships
Runners take off during the 2013 Dollar Dash at Big Bend Community College Saturday. More than $3,000 was raised for student scholarships this year, race director Judy Oakes said.
MOSES LAKE - Community members helped raise more than $3,000 for student scholarships this past weekend.
This year's Dollar Dash netted about $3,577 dollars for the Big Bend Community College Foundation Scholarship Fund, race director Judy Oakes said. Some of the money was donated by corporate sponsors while the rest came from race fees, she said.
About 30 runners participated in the annual 5k run/walk Saturday. This is the third year the foundation has held the race, Oakes said.
The goal is to raise money for student scholarships, she said.
Big Bend President Terry Leas said for some students, money can be the only thing standing in their way of a degree.
Scholarships are a good way to make sure every student has a chance to attend college, he said before the race.
"Even though it's freezing, you're doing it for student scholarships," he told runners.
Erik Ramirez, 19, of Moses Lake, was the first male to cross the finish line, at 19 minutes, 4 seconds. Audra McPartland, 27, of Moses Lake, was the first female to finish the race at 29.1.
Tyler Wallace, 29, of Moses Lake and Custodio Valencia, of Moses Lake, rounded out the top three male finishers, at 20.2 and 23.0 respectively.
Kim Beagley, of Moses Lake, and Whitney Miramontez, 25, of Moses Lake, were the second and third place female finishers of the race. Beagley came in at 32.4 and Miramontez came in at 33.5.