5K RACE AND ONE-MILE FUN RUN BENEFITS
"DEREK KOTECKI MEMORIAL FUND"
10:00 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 19, Athletics Center
FOOD DRIVE HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH TV FOOTBALL GAME HELPS
ALLEGHENY VALLEY ASSOCIATION OF CHURCHES FOOD BANK
2:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 19, Tarentum Elks Lodge #644
Penn State at Ohio State
Running enthusiasts and football fanatics can enjoy some weekend leisure time while serving the community on Saturday, Nov. 19, at a Penn State New Kensington doubleheader that caters to the tastes of alumni and friends.
In the morning, the annual Turkey Trot 5K and One-Mile Family Fun Run gets under way at 10 a.m. at the campus Athletics Center. Proceeds from the race benefit the family of Patrolman Derek Kotecki, the Lower Burrell police officer who was slain Oct. 12 in the line of duty. All entry fees will go to the "Derek Kotecki Memorial Fund" that was set up by the Fraternal Order of Police, Allegheny Valley Lodge #39 for Kotecki's wife and two children, ages 13 and 9.
A pre-Thanksgiving fixture at the campus since 1980, the 3.1–mile run course begins at the Athletics Center, crosses the upper parking lot and heads down Myers Drive to the turnaround point. Participants then backtrack to the finish line at the Athletics Center. The fun run/walk starts at 10:15 a.m. The entry fee is $15 for college and high school students with ID; $20 for campus faculty and staff; and $25 for local residents. A special family fee of $25 lets four family-members participate in the distances of their choosing. For more information, contact race coordinator Pepsi Hutton at 724-334-6747 or plh20@psu.edu via e-mail.
After concluding the morning's aerobic activities, participants can replace lost fluids in the afternoon by attending a televised football game party at 2:30 p.m. at Tarentum Elks Lodge #644 on Sixth Street in Tarentum. The Penn State Nittany Lions take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in a Big Ten battle in Columbus, Ohio.
In conjunction with the game, the Alle-Kiski Society of the Penn State Alumni Association is sponsoring a food drive. Penn State fans are encouraged to bring canned food and non-perishable items, such as paper products and infant/baby supplies, to the game at the lodge on Sixth Street in Tarentum, Pa. The society will donate the collected items to the Allegheny Valley Association of Churches Food Bank, which serves the local region. The pregame reception begins at 2:30 p.m. Refreshments are provided along with a cash bar. Reservations are recommended and can be made by contacting Bill Woodard at 724-334-6049 or uxw1@psu.edu
For more on the Turkey Trot and Kotecki fund, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Information/News/44086.htm#NEWS44086 online.
For more on the football game and food drive, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/Information/News/44047.htm#NEWS44047 online.