Three Bonney Lake High seniors wanted to do something above and beyond what was expected for their senior project.

So the girls – Theresa Edwards, Laura Nash and Chelsea Staeher – put together a fun run and walk with proceeds from the event going to three charities.

The TLC For Charity 5K Fun Run and Walk took place Saturday under sunny skies at the high school track and practice field with more than 35 people participating.

“We have been involved in track and cross country, and volunteering at races,” Staeher said. “So we wanted to do something above and beyond just a regular project.

“We wanted to actually put a race on for ourselves and donating to charity makes it mark of the community so we can give back to it.”

Nash said all three girls came together and discovered they had the same idea about their senior project.

“If we all have the same idea then let’s work together so it’s a big project,” Staeher added.

The girls received plenty of support from family and friends.

Each participant paid a $20 entry fee and could also donate to the event.

“We basically wanted to get enough money to cover our T-shirts’ cost,” said Staeher. “We had more than what we expected.”

This was the first time in the school’s short history a senior project such as a fun run has been done.

Both runners and walkers started the 5K course inside the track area, headed around the high school parking lot and along Mountain View Middle School. They finished at the same spot the race began.

TLC came from the initials from the girls’ first names.

The proceeds were divided equally to the Sierra Club (Theresa for Trees), the National Center for Family Literacy (Laura for Literacy) and Safe Horizon (Chelsea for Children).

Local sponsors were Target, Top Food and Drug, and Rainier Orthopedic Institute.

Gift cards were given to the top three male and female runners, along with ribbons for the top runners in each age group. Each participant received a T-shirt.

Mike Staeher was the first male to cross the finish line with a time of 19 minutes, 36 seconds. The first female runner to finish was Amy Birklid with a time of 22:56.

Reach Dannie Oliveaux at doliveaux@courierherald.com or 360-802-8209.

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