With cheers echoing off front porches and the scent of pizza and sno cones in the air, St. Alexander School’s annual Raider Run 5K turned the quiet streets of Old Palos and Navajo Hills into a celebration of community Thursday night.
Nearly 400 runners — kids, parents, teachers and alumni — laced up for the May 8 event, which raised money to support technology upgrades at the school, located at 7025 W. 126th St. in Palos Heights.
“We live right here in the neighborhood and see this race take place every year,” Lisa Erickson, of Palos Heights, said. “Now that my daughter is in preschool, it’s so much fun to finally be able to participate in it.”
The evening began with a kids dash that brought families to their feet. Before the main race, the Rev. Marty O’Donovan offered a blessing, followed by a ceremonial shotgun start by Mayor Bob Straz that sent runners into the neighborhood course.
The 5K began and ended in the school parking lot, winding through Old Palos and Navajo Hills. Neighbors stood on lawns to cheer, and volunteers handed out water along the route.
After the race, families gathered near the finish line to enjoy slices from Barraco’s and sno cones from Tropical Sno.
The Raider Run, a long-standing tradition at St. Alexander, helped fund classroom technology and digital tools. Organizers said this year’s turnout — 398 registrants — ranked among the highest in recent memory.
“The Raider Run was a great event that not only brought our school families and parishioners together, but the Palos Heights community as well,” Principal Sharon O’Toole said. “We were grateful to the many sponsors who returned year after year to contribute, and who recognized the importance of technology in our school. We couldn’t provide all we do without the support of our business sponsors, individual donors and student pledges. The evening was always a festive one — and didn’t end with the race. Families stayed to enjoy food, music and fellowship.”
Danielle Maka, one of the race organizers at St. Alexander, agreed and said, “This event wasn’t just about the race. It was about bringing our school community together and giving our kids the tools they need to learn and thrive.”
Between sponsorships and pledges, St. Alexander raised more than $50,000.
The 5k marked another successful lap in the school’s effort to run toward a better future, one step, one upgrade at a time.
