Elaine Holder told racegoers it was hard to express how proud and happy she was to see so many gather for the 2nd Annual Charlie Holder, Sr. Memorial 5K on the morning of May 17. More than 300 friends, family members, and even strangers came together at 8:30 a.m. to run or walk and raise money for the Newport County YMCA and the MLK Center. Mrs. Holder said she hoped the event raised $10,000 for each organization and shared how honored her husband would have been to see everyone at the race—especially their son, Charlie, who is now the mayor of Newport.
Presenting sponsor and VIPs Brian and Andrea Stout of BRS Building Company chatted with Harp and Tricia Donnelly as the runners began to line up. Chief Donnelly noted that in their case, VIP stood for “Very Important Pedestrians.”
YMCA Board President Chris Stack kept a steady pace running down Purgatory Road, while MLK Center Board Vice President Rose Holder was all smiles walking with her friend Jill Iuliano in their brightly colored shirts featuring the center’s name.
Winners of the men’s division were Rob Berschinski, David Louria, and Andril Ischar. Brett Ely, Jane Kaull, and Carolyn Bowley took top honors among the women.
After the race, YMCA Associate Executive Director Cori Kilzi thanked the Holder family for their continued support and shared how grateful both organizations were. Father Aaron Walker from St. Spyridon’s Church blessed all the participants and expressed appreciation for Charlie Holder, Sr.’s legacy, his family and friends, and the event’s generous sponsors. Runners and walkers then excitedly grabbed a donut from Ma’s Donuts or meandered up to the Farmers Market to enjoy the rest of their weekend.
