By Madison Butkus
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Returning for its 23rd year, the Camy 5K Run and David 5K Walk was held on Saturday, November 11th, at the Walpole Italian-American Club. Despite the rather chilly and windy weather, the turnout for this year was yet again incredible.
The morning started off with the Rosina Fun Run 50 Yard Dash for kids at around 9:30 am. Kiddos under the age of eleven were all welcome to participate, and they sure did run the fastest they could!
About twenty minutes later, it was time for the David 5K Walk to commence right in front of the Walpole Public Library. In order to give those walkers time to cross the upcoming intersection, the Camy 5K Run started around ten minutes later at 10 am.
According to this 5K’s website, “The USTAF-certified (#MA15011RN) race was created in 2001 in honor of Camillo ‘Camy’ Clerici and his grandson, David Clerici, Walpole Italian-American Society members who had died five months apart in 2000. The Rosina Fun Run for kids is named in honor of Camy’s widow and David’s grandmother, Roslina Clerici, who died in 2006. David 5K Walk trophies are named in honor of his late parents - Frank Clerici Sr. Award (1st Male Finisher), and Carol Hunt-Clerici Award (1st female finisher).”
This year, the races were especially dedicated to a family cousin, Rick Clerici, musician, healer, benevolent, runner, and great longtime supporter of this event who passed away in July of this year.
After each 5K was completed, all were welcome to post-race activities including food, raffles, awards ceremony, and more. This year’s raffles included a free runner/walker prize, one-of-a-kind items, gift certificates, clothing, autographed memorabilia, collectibles from Olympic running legends like Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit, and more.
When talking with organizer and family member, Paul Clerici about this 5K event, he mentioned, “This is always a really special event. We have actually had 23 years consecutively even during Covid and before the vaccines. In 2020, we went to the board of health and we were actually able to have a race, just reduce it to 25 runners. As far as I know, it is the only real, official road race in the state of Massachusetts that year. My grandfather was Camy, my grandmother was Rosina, and my brother was David, so with this race we just wanted to create something good out of it. We give back to the food pantry, the hospital, and different organizations. We just really try to do something good out of something that was bad. This is always the second Saturday of November, and in 23 years, one year we had 6.6 inches of snow in 2004, 2.2 inches of Hurricane Ida rain in 2021, in 2022 it happened to be 72 degrees, and this year it’ll be in the high forties which I guess is pretty normal.”
No matter the weather, participants come from Walpole and other surrounding cities to participate in this amazing race. There was certainly no lack of smiles and a great time was had by all. Congratulations to all participants and finishers of this 2023 5K!
