Local fundraiser draws double the runners

The 35th annual Pineland Striders Independence Races were held under warm conditions at Shawnee High School on Saturday, June 30. At the 8:30 a.m. start, temperatures were already 80 degrees. Despite the heat, this year’s event was the largest in at least 15 years. There were 325 finishers in the 5K and 10K road races, nearly double last year’s total finishers.
The races benefit the Precious Gems Memorial, a local non-profit organization dedicated to community awareness of drunken driving.