Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
On Saturday, Sept. 20, 54 participants took to the beach and raised $1,890 for Palisades Elementary School in the school’s 3rd annual Pali Elementary 5K Walk/Run at Will Rogers State Beach. Taking first-place in the men’s category was Tom Costain and Gwendolen Twist came in first among the women.
Fati Pourmand and co-event organizer Julie Skatoff have been friends since their 4th graders were in kindergarten together and had the idea for the event while on a half-marathon walk in Palos Verdes over three years ago, Pourmand told the Palisadian-Post.
“This is very personal to me because I’m a runner,” said Pourmand. “This is right up my alley. No matter how big or small it is, fundraising at our school is very important.”
Each participant’s $35 entry fee went entirely to fund programs at Pali Elementary including technology, science, art, PE and “all the programs that get cut when there’s a budget cut,” Pourmand said.
Local businesses donated prizes for the first, second and third-place race winners, with event t-shirts donated by Pali parent and local real estate agent Jeffrey Sandorf.
Pourmand and Skatoff plan to host the event as long as they have a student at the school.
“We are so grateful for the enthusiasm our Pali parents have,” Pourmand said. “It’s really about our community coming together.”
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