Hopatcong 5K draws hundreds, raises thousands

Technically, Michael Pachella of Ogdensburg won the Chiefs Challenge 5K on Sunday morning... but the true winners were Hopatcong High School students, who netted $5,000 in scholarship money from the event, and the Paul D. Pinsonault Memorial Foundation, which directs funds toward cancer research and raised several thousands of dollars at Sunday's event, too. Pinsonault was a Hopatcong resident who died of prostate cancer in 2005.
Last year, the same 5K, known as Run for Jordan, was held in honor of local teen Jordan Yaros, who continues her fight against Ewing's sarcoma, but was able to participate on Sunday. This year, the rechristened Chiefs Challenge began a new tradition for the streets of Hopatcong.
Here are some photos of the event, which started and ended at Hopatcong High School on Sunday.

The start of the Chiefs Challenge 5K

Just after the start of the Chiefs Challenge 5K

Chris Kester heads out with her son, Owen.

Julie and Jordan Yaros take to the pavement.

Runners on the course

The first-place female runner, Dianne Ross.

 Runners on the course through Hopatcong.

First-place finisher Michael Parchelia.

Second-place finisher, Joey Prestifillipo

Runners (and rollers) on the course.

On the track for the Fun Run.

The Fun Run on the Hopatcong High School track.

Fun Run support

Runners in the Fun Run get their ribbons at the end of their run.

Runners stretch before starting the race.