The second annual Falcon 5K and One Mile Fun Run raised $800 for the Falcon High School cross country team. Nearly 100 runners and walkers participated in the event at the end of August.Tina Johnson and Rene Chrysler of Meridian Dental and Cameron Magnall, FHS cross country coach, organized the race. Johnson said it was a family event, with participants ranging from 8 years old to 73.Meridian Dental was the main sponsor of the event. Several other Falcon businesses donated, including Chiropractic Lifestyles, Sensational Sounds, The New Falcon Herald, Papa Murphy’s and the Falcon Education Foundation.Johnson said the top three winners in each age category won a pizza from Papa Murphy’s.”There were drawings that all participants were entered in for gift cards to Subway, Starbucks, Wendy’s, and free teeth whitening at Meridian Dental,” Johnson said.Lily Hogan, Falcon resident and a regular runner, said she participated in the 5K because it benefited the FHS cross country team.”I think it is really important to support our local organizations,” Hogan said. “I run on a regular basis for exercise anyway, and this was not much farther than I normally run. Since it is usually a solitary activity, it was a bonus that I got to go with my friends and have my family cheer me on.”Johnson said the idea for the Falcon 5K came from participating in a community race sponsored by a doctor’s office while she visited family in Idaho. “It was a huge community event where the money raised was donated to a charitable cause,” she said. “I like to participate in biking, running and triathlon races. It’s always such a fun atmosphere. So we decided to start the Falcon 5K with the vision of it growing bigger each year.”She said she hopes the event will also foster a strong sense of community.
