Rockdale Citizen

CONYERS -- Runners will be able to test themselves while helping local students with college expenses Saturday at the fifth annual Aubrae Gunderson Memorial Scholarship 5K Walk and Run.

Registration will be open for the day of the run. Along with the 5K run that starts at 9 a.m., participates can walk the course, enter the 1-mile fun race at 8:45 a.m. or enter the high heel hustle at 10:30 a.m. -- a 40-yard sprint in heels at least 3 inches that is open to male and female runners 14 years old and older.

The course for the 5K race starts at Heritage High School and traverses through the nearby Lochinver neighborhood. The race finishes the final quarter mile around the track at Evans Memorial Stadium.

The race is named for Aubrae Gunderson. She was 15 years old and a sophomore at Heritage when she was struck and killed by an automobile while practicing with her cross country team on Sept. 26, 2005.

Brian Smith, Heritage track coach, said at the time of her death that Aubrae excelled in academics and competed in several sports at the high school. Friends and teammates started the 5K run and established a scholarship fund to remember her.

"Aubrae was good athlete, a great student, and was just real pleasant to be around, Smith said. "She had so many friends in so many different parts of the school and had a magnetic personality. She was just a joy to coach and be a teacher of and a fun individual to be around."

Proceeds from the 5K race benefit the Aubrae Gunderson Memorial Scholarship Fund which awards a $1,250 college scholarship to a male and female student athlete at Heritage.

Aubrae's father, Dan Gunderson, said he and his wife, Eileen, started becoming more involved in the race a couple of years ago. He said the work cannot take away the pain of losing a child. However, Gunderson said the popularity of the race and the benefits from the scholarships awarded showed him how much of an impact his daughter had on people.

"What's exciting is when people come to us and say 'I'm glad you're able to turn this into something positive.' That kind of feedback and that people still remember her and (having) this as a way to remember her, I think that is what keeps us going."

Gunderson added the scholarship fund has grown to the point that soon he hoped that they will be able to offer similar scholarships at Rockdale County and Salem high schools.

Gunderson expected a near record field this year approaching 600 participants based on the number who have preregistered for the 5K race and 1-mile fun run.

For more information, call Smith at 770-918-8852, or visit www.aubraegunderson.com.