By Ken Chaisson
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
The 24th annual Camy 5K Run and David 5K Walk took place on a cloudless, crisp, breezy Saturday in November. The 5K run, created in 2001 by Paul Clerici in honor of Walpole Italian-American Society members Camilio “Camy” Clerici and his grandson David, has been held annually since its inception, including during the pandemic year of 2020, when it was the only official in-person road race in Massachusetts. Seventy-five athletes participated, ranging in age from 2 to 84.
The day featured the Rosina Fun Run, a 50-yard sprint for children under 12, named in honor of Camy’s widow and David’s grandmother, Rosina Clerici. Eleven children participated in the sprint to kick off the events. The David 5K Walk and the Camy 5K Run followed as the grand finale.
Walpole High School National Honor Society members volunteered with registration, crowd control, race timing, and food distribution.
The relatively flat race and walk started at the Walpole Library, proceeding down Stone Street, looping on Diamond Street, continuing on Stone to Washington Street, then Common Street, before returning to Stone and finishing at the Italian-American Club.
Eric Dong was the overall winner, finishing in 18:07, nearly two minutes ahead of second-place finisher Mark D’Amico, who participated in his 24th consecutive year. Kathleen Mroz of Walpole was the first female finisher, with a time of 21:31. The first male walker and winner of the Frank Clerici Award was Jim Barsomian, who has walked in all 24 David 5Ks. Diane Culhane of Walpole received the Carol Hunt-Clerici Award as the first female walker. The annual Priesing Award was presented to Beverly "Kris" Jaeger-Helton.
Age group winners in the 5K race included:
• Under 15
Male – Warren Dippert, 22:53 (age 10)
Female – Jane Campbell, 28:07 (age 14)
• 15-19
Female – Sadie St. George, 26:05
• 20-29
Male – Alex Nineve, 25:48
Female – Sarah St. George, 26:04
• 30-39
Male – Sam Hunt, 21:41
Female – Raphaelle Rouzeau, 23:26
• 40-49
Male – Roger Gocsminski, 23:04
Female – Sarah Willoughby, 23:55
• 50-59
Male – Michael St. George, 23:54
Female – Lauren Harvey, 34:21
• 60-69
Male – Robert Peattie, 23:55
Female – Lynne Pierce, 26:35
• 70-79
Male – Marshall Randolph, 23:54 (age 76)
Female – N/A
• 80+
Male – David Pember, 31:56 (age 81)
Female – Irma Walat, 45:20 (age 84)
Other specialty category winners were:
• Camy Award (1st Italian-American Club member) – Paul Clerici
• David Award (2nd-to-last finisher) – Joel Jorczak, age 6
• Bill Hunt Award (1st Walpole male) – Isaac Jorczak, age 12
• Alice Grace Hunt Award (1st Walpole female) – Sarah St. George
• Coach Squires Award – Bob McElhinney
• Clydesdale (males over 200 lbs.) – Michael Andreottola
• Filly (females over 140 lbs.) – Kelly Rotherberger
Proceeds from this year’s events benefit the Walpole Community Food Pantry, the Italian-American Club/Society, the Carol Hunt-Clerici Chamber Music Series Clerici Quartet, and other local organizations.
