The Northwestern Lehigh Education Foundation recently sponsored its annual Tiger 5K and 10K runs at Ontelaunee Park with all proceeds going to benefit the school district.

The money goes to the mini grants teachers receive for materials that are not in the school budget.

The average amount garnered from the runs is $10,000.

Each registrant received a shirt: green for 10K runners and yellow for 5K runners. The 10K runners cover the same route as the 5K but go around twice. There were 170 entrants.

Andrew Brown got off the route and had to repeat part of it to return, an extra half mile, to the route - and still came in as the overall male winner.

After noting that a 4-year-old made an exceptional time last year, those in charge decided babes in strollers would not be considered entrants because the time was actually their mother’s.

Jayson Boushell, organizer, said it was the fifth year the Tiger runs were held at Ontelaunee Park. Previously they took place at the school.

He said the Lynn Township and the New Tripoli Fire Company were great supporters with fire company personnel waiting at the corners to direct the runners and close the roads to traffic.

Cetronia Ambulance personnel were there as part of the corps community involvement, he said.

Joe Madar of ComforTEK, an apparel manufacturer, donates the shirts.

Madar said the fabric is made in North Carolina with the material made from recycled water bottles.

The material is cut and sewn in Allentown. Everything is American made with much going to the government, for example, to the post office or border patrol.

The company recently purchased a running business.

“We’re proud to be American made. When you come in the first thing you see is an American flag.”

He said they help New Tripoli and Lynnport fire companies and others locally. ComforTEK helped with a fundraising event to battle pediatric cancer.

A Deer Park banner was hanging in the pavilion.

Nestle Waters Resource Manager Eric Andreus said the company is proud to support the Northwestern Lehigh Education Foundation in its important mission to support the school.

“We’ve sponsored it for many years and are proud to donate the water for hydration at the stations on the course,” he said.

For returning runners water was within feet of the check-in. There were snacks, fruits, doughnuts, bagels and Chick-fil-A sandwiches.

When extra sandwiches were located, non-runners were invited to share the bounty.

The overall male winners for the 5K were Samuel Bower with a time of 19:07 and female, Payton Marunich with a time of 24:05. The 10K overall male winner was Andrew Brown with a time of 40:25, and female, Jenn Wagner with a time of 51:14.

See race winner results on page A5.