South Elgin run aims to help seniors feed their pets

Taking care of a cat and two dogs while on a fixed income is no small feat, which is why Wasyli Kucharenko says he's especially grateful for the annual RunFurShelter in South Elgin.

The proceeds of the 5K and 10K event May 31 will go to the Golden Diners program, a division of the Salvation Army that provides meals to seniors. The funds are earmarked for pet food for seniors who participate in the program, like 61-year-old Kucharenko of Elgin.

"I would never have got the pets if I couldn't afford them," Kucharenko said. "But this helps me out a lot."

The partnership with RunFurShelter has been "a blessing," said Maureen McGreevy, chairwoman of the Golden Diners advisory board. This is the second year the program, based in Geneva, has been the beneficiary of the annual run. In previous years, it was Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin.

Last year's run netted about $10,200, which allowed the feeding of cats, dogs and birds belonging to about 120 seniors across Kane and McHenry counties, McGreevy said.

The bond between seniors and their pets can be so strong that some owners were making great sacrifices before RunFurShelter came along, she said.

"Some of our seniors were actually feeding part of their meals to their pets, because they were having trouble getting pet food or affording pet food, or if they were home bound and not able to get to the store," she said.

It was that knowledge that prompted run organizer Nancy Meaney of South Elgin to reach out to the Golden Diners and establish a partnership.

"I opened the paper and there was a sad story about the Salvation Army Golden Diners program, that they had clients that had to give up their food for the pets," she said. "For some of these seniors, their pets are their lives. So we got together with the board and we decided to help."

The RunFurShelter board includes Meaney, Tanya Esquivel and Sara Johnson, also of South Elgin. This year's event will feature a 10K run for the first time. "That's huge, it will bring us more numbers," Meaney said.

Racers can register online at runfurshelter.com by Tuesday or in person the day of the race.