MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2004
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
3A
Clear weather makes for big turnout at Sun Run
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Chris Miller/KANSAN
BY AUSTIN CASTER
acaster@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITE
Sean Findley, Leavenworth freshman, Jon Even, Overland Park senior, and Ashley Brockord, Lee Summit, Mo., sophomore, all hurry to gain distance in the Kappa Alpha Theta Sun Run. The 21st annual Sun Run was a 5K and 10K run that benefited CASA yesterday morning, and began in front of the Lied Center
Though he lettered in cross country four times in high school, Jason Simon ran into a bit of a challenge yesterday.
"This is the first time I've ran in four months," Simon, Andale senior, said.
The Kappa Alpha Theta sorority hosted its 21st annual Sun Run yesterday morning to benefit Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA.
CASA makes court recommendations for children in foster care to try to find them permanent homes, said Carolyn Johnson, volunteer supervisor for CASA and professor of political science.
"We work one on one with kids who have been abused or
neglected," Johnson said.
The program helps foster care children ranging from infants to 21-year-olds, she said. Johnson has volunteered with CASA for more than five years.
"I'm a lawyer and I wanted to do something that would help kids." Johnson said.
Johnson ran 5K and said she prepared using Dog Days, an exercise program sponsored by the University.
"The weather was beautiful," Simon, Pi Kappa Alpha member, said. "Perfect day for a race."
After a rainy week, the sun came out yesterday to lift the runners' spirits.
The ideal temperature for a race is 50 degrees, he said.
"The past two years we've had great weather," said Marlyse Anderson, Olathe senior and Kappa Alpha Theta member.
The race began at 9 a.m. at the Lied Center and participants chose whether to complete in the 5K or 10K.
"Makes a difference on how many people get out of bed at 8 in the morning."
She said during the past four years she had helped with the race, the turnout increased each year.
She estimated there were 20 people running her freshman year.
She said there were 170 who pre-registered, but more came the morning of the race.
About 200 runners showed up yesterday, said Gretchen Anderson, Olathe sophomore and community service deputy for Kappa Alpha Theta.
University of Kansas, Anderson said.
"We were shooting for $5,000," Anderson said. "Each runner paid $15."
The amount the fundraiser actually raised won't be known until sometime today when the sorority totals the money.
The chapter will hold an ice cream social in the spring, also benefitting CASA.
This event was sponsored by several local businesses, including Body Boutique, Color Hair spa retail studio, U.S. Bank, Arensberg's Shoes, Graybill and Hazlewood Lawyers, Pizza Shuttle, Pro Print and Pony Xpress Printing.
There were five different age groups for the race and each range had medals and gift certificates as awards. The groups ranged from 17 and younger to
Roommates Rob Rosasco and Chase Edgerton were among the first to finish the 5K with a time of a little more than 15 minutes.
The first racer to finish 10K took a little less than 37 minutes.
50 and older. Several participants brought along their dogs.
Many participants asked each other if they had gone out the night before and whether it was hard to get up.
Edgerton said they found out about the race through a flyer on campus and thought it was a good cause.
"We had run it freshman year," the Barrington, Ill., junior, said.
"We run more than most," Rosasco, Southbury, Conn., junior, said. "That hurt a lot more than I expected."
- Edited by Ryan Greene
Alex Chong, Malaysia graduate student, returns a serve in a fast-paced game of badminton Saturday. Chong was in the Malaysian Student Organization's badminton and table tennis tournament this weekend at the Student Recreation Fitness Center
TOURNAMENT: Organization looks to gain new members through friendly competition.
Chris Miller/KANSAN
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
Lim believes that less Malaysians are coming to the University because of the expense.
In fact, there are 40 Malaysians enrolled at the University, according to fall enrollment numbers.
She said that 3.8 Malaysian dollars equate to one U.S. dollar. Lim described the group as one of many races.
The players represented that description with students from America, China, India and Indonesia. The tournament was a chance for these students to compete at sports that are familiar at home, but also just to have fun.
"We study all of the time," Lim said. "We need to relax over the weekend, get together and have fun."
Badminton is big in Malaysia, Ken Thye Lee, Eile
Malavsia sophomore. said.
He joined the tournament to support Msia KU and to play a sport that he played a lot back home. Lee learned about the student group from the KU Web site before he came to the United States.
He got in contact with the group and Tan was there to pick him up from the airport.
Lee said that it made it easier to meet people that were like him first to get use to his new surroundings. He liked getting to know all the different people at the University.
On Saturday, Lee sat with a towel around his shoulders and a flushed face after losing in the badminton tournament.
"I already lost in the first round," Lee said. "It's ok, I'll help out with the refereeing."
Tony Wong, who won table tennis tournament — it's not ping-pong — took his sport seri-
ouslv.
"It's way beyond great being champion," Wong, Indonesia senior, said.
Wong started playing table tennis again eight months ago.
Wong said he stopped playing table tennis after he graduated from high school because he couldn't find people who played the game.
When he heard of the tournament he though it would be a great chance to play with new people.
KU alumni Cher-Chiang "Max" Yang, Malaysia graduate student, and Kok Meng Pua were the champions for the badminton doubles games.
The two play together every Saturday and Sunday.
"When we heard of the chance of a tournament we jumped on it," Yang said.
— Edited by Steve Schmidt
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