RAP River Run – Better Every Year

Written by Diane Galemmo Thursday, 12 August 2010 16:46

July 2010

The third annual RAP River Run, a 5K (3.1 mile) race originating at the bandstand in Sims Park on Main St. in New Port Richey raised $52,000 for Runaway Alternatives Project, a local youth shelter known as RAP House.

The event took place on Sat., June 12 and started with a one-mile fun run at 7:30 a.m., followed by the 5K run/walk at 8:00 a.m. The 1,120 participants who signed up made their way along the Cotee River and around Orange Lake in the downtown area. Of that number, 40 were members of the Suncoast Striders, a local running club. The participants were divided into separate age group categories ranging from 9-years-old to 80+ and the top three winners in each category were awarded medals.

Of all the winners, Ryan Pulsifer, 17, of Wesley Chapel and a student at Wiregrass High School, was the overall male winner. Ryan, who was named to the All-Pasco County Boys Track Team completed the run in 16 min. 59 sec. The overall female winner was Jacki Wachtel, 30, a New Port Richey native, who completed the run in 17 min. 38 sec. Wachtel had been the overall winner (beating both males and females), in RAP River Run's inaugural year, 2008, and in 2009 she was the best-timed woman, running while she was seven months pregnant. Jacki is coach of the PHCC Women's Cross-Country team, while her husband Brian coaches the Mitchell High Varsity Football team.

The event's presenting sponsors were Dex Imaging, Inc., Publix Super Markets Charities, Inc. and Spring Engineering, Inc. The Trinity Business Association sponsored the fun run with 70 kids participating.

Audrey Lake, 81, a Trinity Oaks resident, took part in RAP River Run for the first time. She says, "It was very nice, I enjoyed it and I will do it again. It's well organized I would recommend it to anybody. And you know you don't have to run, they have walkers and runners." Lake, a breast-cancer survivor, also participated in, and completed, the 60-mile three-day Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure.

Jim Simms, development director of RAP's parent company Youth and Family Alternatives (YFA), says, "YFA was thrilled that our 5K had over 1,100 registered runners (at least 275 more than last year) and that all awards were completed, food served, and photos taken by 10:05 a.m. Each year gets better and better."

Some other participants posted the following comments on Facebook: "Great Race, my son, sister and I had a great run/walk! Thank you for all your hard work! Can't wait till next year! Oh... and the medals are fab," says Shanon Storey. "That was a fantastic morning! Thanks for all your hard work, Jim (Simms). Can't wait till next year! We had a blast! It was such an enthusiastic crowd," says Terri Schulzendorf Conroy . "Support the Rap House," says Trinity Rotarian Kat Sille. "They're wonderful kids that just need a little helping hand!"

RAP House, which opened in 1982, is located at 7522 Plathe Rd. in New Port Richey; it offers short-term respite care to youths aged 10 to 17 who are runaways, abused, neglected, homeless, or foster kids waiting for placement. It provides food, housing, counseling services and life skills education.

Andy Coble, RAP House program director says, "The River Run is not just about raising money for the program but also about getting exposure about the work we do with the kids and the conditions that they face. We work with the school system, community agencies and law enforcement. Runaways, when they come to us, most of the time, they're done running and don't want to run anymore."

The Trinity Business Assoc. (TBA) supports RAP House through monthly donations of cash and supplies (such as food, toiletries and clothing.) And the Trinity Rotary just recently came up with a Cook '4' Kids program spearheaded by Trinity Rotary Club member Barry Poppel. The program allows Trinity Rotarians and their family members to prepare home-cooked meals on the third Thursday of every month at RAP House. Coble says, "The Trinity Rotary cooks allow the kids to enjoy a variety of dinners and higher quality meals than the shelter can provide with their current funding."

About 85 percent of the shelter's expenses are met through state and federal grants. RAP House tries to collect the rest from the community. RAP House is always accepting monetary and other donations, such as food, clothing, toiletries, linens, blankets, etc., from the community.

Note: RAP River Run also helps benefit the Guardian Ad Litem Program, which is seeking 500 adult volunteers to advocate for children in court.

Parents or teens in need of support in Pasco County, or who would like more information about YFA and RAP House, please visit www.yfainc.org or call Jim Simms at 835-1635. For more information on the Guardian Ad Litem program, please visit www.guardianadlitem.org.