Over 200 runners gathered at the historic Welder Park Saturday to help raise funds for the Sinton Volunteer Fire Dept.<\/p>\n
SINTON, Texas \u2014 More than 200 runners kicked off their Saturday at Welder Park for the inaugural Turkey Trot 5K, hosted by the Sinton Volunteer Fire Department<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The event drew about 210 participants of all ages and served as a fundraiser to support the department (as the name suggests, made up of all volunteers) and help replace fire equipment damaged during the devastating Welder Complex Fire in March.<\/a><\/p>\n WATCH: Leaning on community following Sinton’s Welder Fire<\/a><\/p>\n The morning began with a 1K race for the little Turkey Trotters before adults hit the course. Live music and local vendors lined the park, cheering on runners and offering an extra boost – whether energy or caffeine – after they crossed the finish line.<\/p>\n For first-place finisher J.J. Garza of the South Texas Rollers, the smooth course and volunteer support stood out.<\/p>\n \u201cGreat course, great volunteers out there giving good directions. There\u2019s no way you could\u2019ve gotten lost on this course, which is great – always a plus for races,\u201d said Garza.<\/p>\n Young runners also shared their excitement after completing the 1K:<\/p>\n \u201cWe get to exercise our legs, so that our legs can get stronger,\u201d said first grader Ezekiel Claudio. Event Director and Sinton VFD 3rd Assistant Chief\u00a0Jason Martinez said the turnout exceeded expectations.<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn\u2019t expect this type of turnout so I\u2019m really happy with it,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Martinez explained that what began as a much-needed fundraiser quickly became something larger. Even members of the KIII 3NEWS team joined in on the fun!<\/p>\n Digital Content Producer, Sumiko Lara, said the atmosphere showcased what makes Sinton special.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really nice to get out and get to know who\u2019s behind the scenes. It really feels like everyone’s united and that really makes the community stronger,” Lara shared. \u201cIt just feels like I\u2019m from here, and I\u2019m originally not from here, I’m from California, but it feels like I\u2019m home.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Assignments Editor\u00a0Jeremy Landers hopes the event becomes a mainstay.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re happy to be a part of this inaugural event, hopefully they make it an annual event and we\u2019ll be back next year and the year after and so on.\u201d<\/p>\n Good news! Martinez said planning for next year is already underway, with hopes of making the Turkey Trot even bigger.\u00a0<\/p>\n Organizers, sponsors, volunteers and participants alike celebrated a successful first run, along with a strong show of community support for Sinton\u2019s first responders.<\/p>\n More from 3NEWS on KIIITV.com: \u00a0<\/p>\n
Fourth grader Olivia Dimas said, \u201cIt was a bit of a workout, but as soon as I finished – it was pretty easy.\u201d
First grader Madalyn McDevitt said, \u201cIt was so good, but I got tired a little bit because I just can’t run that fast.\u201d
Her cousin Addison Dimas summed it up simply: \u201cI was really fast.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt started out as a fundraiser for us – \u00a0to provide any equipment we might need. Our equipment took a toll [in the Welder Complex Fire]. So these funds will go into purchasing new items, replacing those items that got damaged. It\u2019s a fundraiser for us, but for me personally it kind of morphed into a community event.\u201d<\/p>\n