Runners, walkers, Fun Fest attendees, and volunteers showed up with smiles, despite the rainy weather, for The Arc of Essex County’s 25th Annual Building Tomorrows 5K Run, Family Walk, and Fun Fest on Saturday, April 29 at the South Mountain Recreation Complex in West Orange.

The overall 5K winners were John Gafney of Rutherford, N.J. with a time of 17:01 and Kayla Lubonski of Cranford, N.J. with a time of 24:12. The men’s second and third place finishers were Fahim Chowdhury (Bayonne, N.J.) and Tristin DeVincenzo (Hoboken, N.J.), and the women’s second and third place finishers were Karolina Zujewska (South Orange, N.J.) and Semra Iljazi (Haledon, N.J.).

The day also included a family-friendly walk and a Fun Fest that featured interactive art projects, cooking demonstrations, music, and more. Thanks to the support of sponsors and the incredible fundraising efforts of the participants, this milestone-year event raised more than $60,000 for The Arc of Essex County.

The Arc would like to thank PSEG for being the presenting sponsor. The event was also supported by the many participants who raised money for the cause, including the top individual fundraiser, Peter Campbell, and the top teams: Team Smart Set, led by Kairon Mullins.

Additionally, the festivities would not have been possible without the generous time and services donated by Jersey Mike’s Subs, Nothing Bundt Cake, Dancing DJs, Chef It Up, Bella Princess, Parteaz, One River, Indigo Art Studio, Fresh Pro Food Distributors, ShopRite of Livingston, Wegman’s, and Wawa, as well as the Essex County Police Academy and a crew of volunteers.

A complete list of race results is available at www.RunOrWalk.org, where photos from the day will also be posted. We look forward to gathering again next spring for the 26th Annual Building Tomorrows event!