1st 'Race For Trace' Nets More Than $20K
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
1st 'Race For Trace' Nets More Than $20K
By David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
The sun was shining. Hundreds of people were gathered outdoors for a good cause. And while Tracey was not one to seek the limelight, many of the participants in the Memorial Day “Race for Trace” 5K Run/Walk were doing it for her.
A total of 848 people registered for the first annual event Monday in Winona Lake, according to organizer Nate Stone, to help raise more than $20,000 for the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund. More than 600 of them had pre-registered.
They came from all over the area – Warsaw, Winona Lake, South Whitley, Leesburg, Claypool, Mentone – as well as beyond – Goshen, Fort Wayne; Midland, Mich.; Winfield, Ill.; and Valparaiso to name a few.
Stone organized the event in honor of Tracey as part of his Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy project.
Tracey, the wife of Steve Yeager, and mother of three, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1990. She earned the rank of lieutenant as a naval officer, and flew CH-46 Helicopters until 1999.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and fought it for five years. On May 31, 2010, she died at 42 years old.
All the proceeds of the 5K benefit the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund. The fund is administered by the K21 Health Foundation. It is dedicated to reducing the challenges facing cancer patients and their families by financially assisting them during their fight against cancer.
Before the race, Stone took the microphone to thank everyone who helped him put the event together.
He thanked God for the beautiful day, and thanked Tracey for what she meant to people. Stone said, only in Warsaw can you organize an event like “Race for Trace”.
“Tracey would have loved this,” he said.
Stone thanked Steve and the Yeager Family for their support. Many people traveled long distances to participate, including many of Tracey’s friends, so Stone thanked them, too.
The Breakfast Optimist Club got Stone started, he said, so he appreciated their support.
Any need he had to make the race a reality, he said, was met by the people in the community, including the Kosciusko Racers’ Association and Robin Brown, who created the artwork and posters.
Stone said he raised more than $9,000 so all participants’ registration fees will go directly to the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund. He also had $8,000 in donations from generous people in the community, he said.
“We raised over $20,000 to help people struggling with cancer,” Stone announced.
“The Cancer Care Fund is something Tracey cared about,” he said later before telling the runners and walkers to have fun.
Bryce Lippe sang the “Star-Spangled Banner” while a local Boy Scout troop posted the colors. A prayer was given by Bruce Barlow.
Steve Yeager then thanked everyone for participating, and said he was overwhelmed by the turnout.
“This community has been incredible in the way it has supported us,” Steve said. “Thank you. I’ve never seen an adult do something like this, let alone a 17-year-old.”
The hundreds of people in the crowd applauded Stone’s efforts.
“Nate, when you get done with college, you’ve got a job at Sym Financial. You can have Jerry’s job,” Steve joked.
The first person to cross the finish line was Ellis Coon at 17 minutes, 33.42 seconds. From there, the runners and walkers kept coming in.
“I’ve know them a long time and I’m here to support them,” Craig Snow, Warsaw, said of why he participated. “It’s a great ministry for Christ as well.”
He said the event was very well attended.
While he didn’t know Tracey, Tony Stewart, Warsaw, said he heard a lot about her and she sounded like a good woman. Stewart ran because it was a good cause and he wanted to help with the battle against cancer.
“My mother has multiple myeloma cancer. It’s a fundraiser for Cancer Care Fund so I thought it was a worthy cause,” Michelle Hayward, Warsaw, said of why she ran with her daughter, Emma.
“For the first one,” Michelle said, “it was a huge turnout.”
Ten-year-old Michael Lehman said he ran “for the people with cancer.”[[In-content Ad]]
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The sun was shining. Hundreds of people were gathered outdoors for a good cause. And while Tracey was not one to seek the limelight, many of the participants in the Memorial Day “Race for Trace” 5K Run/Walk were doing it for her.
A total of 848 people registered for the first annual event Monday in Winona Lake, according to organizer Nate Stone, to help raise more than $20,000 for the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund. More than 600 of them had pre-registered.
They came from all over the area – Warsaw, Winona Lake, South Whitley, Leesburg, Claypool, Mentone – as well as beyond – Goshen, Fort Wayne; Midland, Mich.; Winfield, Ill.; and Valparaiso to name a few.
Stone organized the event in honor of Tracey as part of his Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy project.
Tracey, the wife of Steve Yeager, and mother of three, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1990. She earned the rank of lieutenant as a naval officer, and flew CH-46 Helicopters until 1999.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and fought it for five years. On May 31, 2010, she died at 42 years old.
All the proceeds of the 5K benefit the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund. The fund is administered by the K21 Health Foundation. It is dedicated to reducing the challenges facing cancer patients and their families by financially assisting them during their fight against cancer.
Before the race, Stone took the microphone to thank everyone who helped him put the event together.
He thanked God for the beautiful day, and thanked Tracey for what she meant to people. Stone said, only in Warsaw can you organize an event like “Race for Trace”.
“Tracey would have loved this,” he said.
Stone thanked Steve and the Yeager Family for their support. Many people traveled long distances to participate, including many of Tracey’s friends, so Stone thanked them, too.
The Breakfast Optimist Club got Stone started, he said, so he appreciated their support.
Any need he had to make the race a reality, he said, was met by the people in the community, including the Kosciusko Racers’ Association and Robin Brown, who created the artwork and posters.
Stone said he raised more than $9,000 so all participants’ registration fees will go directly to the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund. He also had $8,000 in donations from generous people in the community, he said.
“We raised over $20,000 to help people struggling with cancer,” Stone announced.
“The Cancer Care Fund is something Tracey cared about,” he said later before telling the runners and walkers to have fun.
Bryce Lippe sang the “Star-Spangled Banner” while a local Boy Scout troop posted the colors. A prayer was given by Bruce Barlow.
Steve Yeager then thanked everyone for participating, and said he was overwhelmed by the turnout.
“This community has been incredible in the way it has supported us,” Steve said. “Thank you. I’ve never seen an adult do something like this, let alone a 17-year-old.”
The hundreds of people in the crowd applauded Stone’s efforts.
“Nate, when you get done with college, you’ve got a job at Sym Financial. You can have Jerry’s job,” Steve joked.
The first person to cross the finish line was Ellis Coon at 17 minutes, 33.42 seconds. From there, the runners and walkers kept coming in.
“I’ve know them a long time and I’m here to support them,” Craig Snow, Warsaw, said of why he participated. “It’s a great ministry for Christ as well.”
He said the event was very well attended.
While he didn’t know Tracey, Tony Stewart, Warsaw, said he heard a lot about her and she sounded like a good woman. Stewart ran because it was a good cause and he wanted to help with the battle against cancer.
“My mother has multiple myeloma cancer. It’s a fundraiser for Cancer Care Fund so I thought it was a worthy cause,” Michelle Hayward, Warsaw, said of why she ran with her daughter, Emma.
“For the first one,” Michelle said, “it was a huge turnout.”
Ten-year-old Michael Lehman said he ran “for the people with cancer.”[[In-content Ad]]
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