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Running for Caitlin Yager
CANFIELD
More than 250 runners lined up at Canfield High School on Saturday morning, uniting in the third annual Run for Caitlin – 8K and 3K charitable runs for former athlete Caitlin Yager.
Greg Delost, event co-founder, said the run is all done in honor of the love for a family friend.
Run for Caitlin got its start in 2013, after Caitlin Yager died as the result of a car accident.
Yager, a 2012 Cardinal Mooney High School graduate and Marietta College student, ran cross country and track in high school and college, favoring the sport above all others.
Delost said the run was started as a way to support people in the community in Caitlin’s honor.
Not only does the run give the community support in the form of scholarships raised by the nonprofit, it also gets support through local sponsors.
“It’s amazing to see it after three years and how much its grown,” Delost said. “We are lucky to get so much support. Sometimes everyone needs a reminder that there are good people out there.”
Maria Delost, Greg Delost’s mother and a family friend of Caitlin Yager’s family, said the turnout was more than she imagined – especially during Saturday’s intense heat.
“It just didn’t seem to bother anyone,” she said.
Maria also said she was happy to see nonrunners come as well, participating in the raffles, bidding in the silent auction and just donating to the cause.
Greg said he enjoyed seeing so many members of the community coming together to make the best out of a sad cause.
“In the darkest of times, you can always find a positive,” Delost said.