About 150 participants took part in the ninth annual Owen J. Roberts (OJR) Celebrity Run101 on Nov. 5, which included a 5K race and a 1-mile walk. The event took place in the Wildcat Stadium and throughout the school campus at OJR High School in Pottstown.

Attendees were encouraged to dress as their favorite celebrity. On hand at the event were Super Mario, a Teletubby and representatives from Progressive and State Farm insurances. Prizes were awarded for the best costumes.

The Run101 Committee included OJR High School teachers Megan Harpold and Meg Wrubel; Ryan Monaghan, OJR supervisor of instruction and language arts; and Emmanuel Toussaint, district health and wellness coordinator.

Among those who took part in the 5K were members of RUN 101, running clubs that are offered at each of the OJR School District elementary schools - West Vincent, East Vincent, East Coventry, North Coventry and French Creek. RUN 101 is a fitness incentive program for boys and girls in grades four through six. The after-school activity, led by OJR staff members, is designed to promote a fun, non-competitive introduction to the sport of running with the goal that the activity becomes a lifetime exercise.

Students were encouraged to accumulate miles walking, running or jogging with the goal of taking part in the culminating 5K event. "For many of the students, it was the first time they participated in a 5K," said Wrubel.

Also featured was music provided by DJ JoJo Lorman of Entertainment Engineering Plus, which was meant to encourage the runners and walkers, as well as face painting. "Mirror Me Productions had a fun photo booth to bring out the celebrity in everyone," Wrubel noted.

The event was designed to raise money for the OJR High School Best Buddies Club, which has a goal of "promoting social inclusion amongst students with disabilities and typically developing students."

As part of the program, club members are paired with students with disabilities, who then enjoy social activities both at school and in the community. A pizza party is held at the beginning of the school year to mark the start of the program. "(At the party) the buddies are 'matched' in a one-on-one social pair," said Wrubel, who is co-adviser of the club along with Harpold.

The club currently has 135 members, many of whom volunteered during the recent run/walk by selling event T-shirts and other Best Buddies apparel. Students were also stationed along the course to guide runners.

Other OJR school clubs and athletic organizations also provided volunteers, including the Leo Club, Key Club and wrestling team. Providing support during the event was the OJR security team; Crunch Fitness, which led warm-up activities; Goodwill Ambulance; and Ridge Fire Company.

For more information about the event, to make a donation to the Best Buddies Club or to view the race results, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Pottstown/OJRRun101OJRSTRONG5K.