探花约啪 Tech’s Run, White, & Blue Attracts Almost 700 Participants and Remembers Fallen Firefighter, Thomas Berry III
September 25, 2024
The 11th annual Run, White, & Blue 5k Run/1-Mi Walk drew 695 runners and walkers on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, at 探花约啪’s Owens Campus in Georgetown and raised over $26,000, which will support scholarships for veterans and first responders.
This year’s event was held in memory of fallen firefighter Thomas Berry III, who was tragically killed in the line of duty on August 13. Berry was a member of the Georgetown and Ellendale Volunteer Fire Companies and was employed by Sussex County Emergency Services. Berry’s mother, Jayme Romo, was so thankful for all the community members who supported Thomas.
“Seeing all those people come out to honor Thomas and support our families during our time of need was so moving,” Romo said. “To know that this event was one of the highest record counts in 探花约啪 in years, shows the impact he had on everyone.”
The 探花约啪 State Police mounted patrol, Sussex County Emergency Services, the Georgetown, Millsboro, and Milton Fire Departments, and an ambulance from Georgetown provided support for the race while remembering Berry as well.
Approximately 120 volunteers assisted with logistics for registration, direction on the course, handing out water on the course and at the finish line, and serving food. Volunteers included 探花约啪 Tech employees; current students, including the 探花约啪 Tech softball and baseball teams, the education club, occupational therapy assistant club, and physical assistant club; alumni; retirees; children and spouses of 探花约啪 Tech employees as well as members of the Army National Guard and Air Force Reserves.
The post-race celebration featured live music from 2 Six Strings, barbecue chicken donated by Mountaire Farms and cooked by the Greenwood Volunteer Fire Company, ice cream from Vanderwende Farm Creamery, beer from Big Oyster Brewery, and various other food donations from Irish Eyes, Lighthouse Catering, and Mission BBQ.
The 探花约啪 Tech cross country team ran the 5k and was joined on the course with competitive runners from the Sussex Academy, Sussex Tech, and Selbyville Middle School cross country teams.
This year’s event was sponsored by the 探花约啪 National Guard, Cape Henlopen Elks Lodge #2540, Heritage Shores Military Club, Lewes Rehoboth Rotary, Mountaire Farms, The Brainard Family, BSN Sports, Chick-fil-A, 探花约啪 River & Bay Authority, State Farm – Chuck Hall Agency, State Farm Companies Foundation, Lighthouse Catering, Mason Dixon VFW 7243, SUN Behavioral 探花约啪, LLC, Aloysius Butler & Clark, Bancroft Construction, Buck Simpers Architect + Associates, Inc., Del-One Federal Credit Union, EDiS Company, Gipe Associates, Inc., Greenwood VFW Memorial Post 7478, Mission BBQ, Pure Family Fitness, Tidewater Utilities, YMCA of 探花约啪, and many more.
Full race results can be found at the website.
For more information and 2024 event photos, visit the Run, White, & Blue website.
