Glen Ellyn school hosts fundraiser

Twelve-year-old Stefanie Bazigos waited for this day all week.

The Glen Crest Middle School sixth-grader had her running shoes on, hair pulled back, and she was ready to run.

"It's my passion," she said during the school's first 3K walk and run, called Pumpkin Family Fun, on Sunday.

About 120 parents, school staffers and students at the Glen Ellyn school registered for the race, which looped around the school's campus at 725 Sheehan Ave. Money from the fundraiser will be used for the school's wellness center and to pay for the school's intramural sports programing.

"I want these kids to see their efforts go to something they're going to directly benefit from," said John Batiste, a physical education teacher who finished the race while towing his two sons, 5-year-old Nick and 4-year-old William, behind him in a wagon.

While Batiste joked around with his sons, using them as human bench press bars while volunteers snapped pictures, other racers were struggling to catch their breath.

Stefanie Bazigos ran strong and finished in the top 10, beaten out by just one other girl, 14-year-old Katie James.

"The hills were not good," Stephanie said.

Parents Pete Rumel and Tim Jenkins, however, were laughing and teasing each other as they approached the finish line. With barely a drip of sweat, Jenkins admitted "we made sure we'd stop along the race and walk it out."

"Do we look like we run?" Rumel chimed in.

As for the race's top finisher, 12-year-old John Wold, Sunday's race just reaffirmed his love for the sport.

"I did a race the day before in Rockford and felt a little sore," the seventh-grader said. "But I feel really good now. ... This is fun."