Blaufuss Run/Walk raises support for ESU scholarships

Dorothy Blaufuss (left), the wife of the late John Blaufuss, and two of his              daughters, Lisa and Angela, enjoy the start of the second annual John Blaufuss Memorial Run/Walk at 9 a.m. Saturday at Emporia State University.

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Danny Giefer (left) finished first for the men, and Jen Boswell (right) finished           second for the women, in the second annual John Blaufuss Memorial  Run/Walk at 9 a.m. Saturday at Emporia State University.

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The second annual John Blaufuss Memorial Run/Walk was held at Emporia State University on Saturday morning, raising $10,000 for the Presidential Academic Awards scholarship program and honoring the memory of Blaufuss, a long-time friend of the university.

The 5K run and 2-mile walk drew 42 runners and 85 walkers, and the events were followed by a reception at the Sauder Alumni Center. The event highlighted the annual community campaign for scholarships at Emporia State.

In the 5K, the men were led by Danny Giefer with a time of 21:17; Trevor Applebee second at 21:37; and Matt Hagg third at 22:07. Maureen Smith won the women’s 5K with a time of 22:25; Jen Boswell took second in 23:01; and Chelsea Blaufuss, third, 23:05.

Blaufuss, a long-time friend and employee of ESU who died in December 2005 when he was struck by a car while jogging, was as dedicated to jogging as he was to supporting ESU students. So it was fitting that the statue erected in his honor, in Union Square on the ESU campus, overlooked the start of this year’s run.

The event brought in approximately $10,000 for the Presidential Academic Awards scholarship program through sponsorships, participation fees and donations. The PAA program offers every incoming freshman and transfer student with a scholarship ranging from $500 to $1,200 based on academic achievement. The automatic award plays a critical role in attracting the best and brightest students to ESU, and has contributed to rising enrollment figures. In the 2006-07 academic year, 632 students earned a PAA, totaling $404,550 in awards.

Sponsors for the event include: at the gold level, Lyon County State Bank, Bobby D’s BBQ, Barnhart Builders, Emporia Brown Express Athletic Club, and Barnes and Noble – Memorial Union Bookstore; at the silver level, Modern Air Conditioning; and at the bronze level, Walburn’s Athletic Club, Olpe State Bank, Olpe Chicken House, Emporia State Federal Credit Union, Jock’s Nitch, and the KVOE radio station.

Last Updated July 2, 2007>