Collegiate harrier Jacob Kennedy made easy work of the field at the annual Pound the Pavement for Pilot 5K run Saturday morning.
Kennedy clocked in with a time of 16:19 to win the 5K fundraiser for the Pilot Club of Denham Springs.
Meanwhile, the Silk family of Walker finished strong in the 5K event. Lila Silk, 13, placed first overall female, while her father Will Silk won the male masters division, and mom Jeuri Silk claimed the female masters division.
Denham Springs resident Kevin Vernor, 61, won the grand masters male competition with a time of 23:44, and 52-year-old Angela Wiedman of Watson won grand masters female with a time of 29:00.
Kennedy had a bit of an edge on the other race entrants. A pre-med major, the 19-year-old speedster is in his second year on the track and field squad at Loyola where he has won two all-conference titles.
The former Walker High School standout and 2023 graduate was using Saturday’s race to get ready for the indoor track season coming off the heels of the cross-country season. The NCAA indoor track competition begins in just a few weeks.
“I felt my time was a little too slow today. I’m a little out of shape, but not that much,” Kennedy said, adding that he has run the Pilot Club race several times in the past.
Kennedy said his primary goal for the coming spring is to qualify for the national finals in the 10K event, which would require a time under 31 minutes. He has less ambitious goals for the 5K distance but still feels he can hold his own on the track.
The fundraiser race was held at the Municipal Oaks Pavilion in Denham Springs, just a stone’s throw from one of the Pilot Club’s past projects, the Kidz Korner Playland.
The 5K is one of just two major annual fundraisers for the non-profit organization. Last spring, the group held its first Southern Charm Gala, which replaced the Farewell to Winter Tea event and featured dinner, music, and silent and live auctions for the guests.
Proceeds from Pound the Pavement are being directed to meeting the group’s goal of installing accessible playgrounds at every elementary school in the parish. The plan is to install two playgrounds each year until the task is completed. Seventh Ward Elementary and the Holden School were the first to be selected.
The group also works on various projects for the benefit of the community, including acquiring fans for the Council on Aging, educational supplies for public schools, personal hygiene kits for students, pick-me-up treats for caregivers and public servants, scholarships, and more.
Lawson Covington, owner of Covington and Associates Real Estate firm, gestured over toward the Kidz Korner Playland and recalled when the Pilot Club was involved in getting the recreational area built.
Covington’s firm was one of about a dozen vendors offering free food, free drinks, and other items and services to the race entrants. Baton Rouge Therapy was on site providing rub-downs and stretching for tight, sore muscles.
“I remember being involved in helping build that park,” Covington said. “It’s just one of many things they’ve done over the years that actually gets used by the local citizens and the citizens of the parish. The Pilot Club has been here for so long. My mom was in it many years ago. They do so many good things for the community, and I think local businesses have been very supportive. No matter how big Livingston Parish gets, we need to continue to support programs like this in our community.”
Terri Borde is a past president of the Pilot Club and current fundraising chairperson. She said the annual event is something that entire families look forward to each year with a festive environment.
“Everything we do for organizations is fun, but this is kind of different because people bring their kids and their dogs and their strollers out here and everybody is having a great time. It’s a great community atmosphere,” she said. “And all of the vendors are so helpful and donate so much of their time and resources to us.”
Louisiana Director Amanda McMorris said while the runners and their families had a good time on a sunny Saturday morning, Pilot Club members keep their focus on the work required to make a difference for individuals and improve their lives.
“We just appreciate all of the support we get. Without everybody pulling together, there’s no way we would be able to do as many things as we get accomplished for people in our parish,” she said.
The Pilot Club is also highly active in drawing more attention to brain-related disorders and disabilities. The group participates in Brain Awareness Week, an annual event sponsored by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, to increase public awareness of advances in brain research and their importance to society.
The Pilot Club meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:45 p.m. behind the Alvin Fairburn and Associates office, 1289 Del Este Ave., in Denham Springs.
