REBECCA CARRASCO

GRAMERCY – Runners came out in full force April 29, to participate in the sixth annual Veterans Memorial Bridge Run, a one-mile/5K race across the Veterans Memorial Bridge. St. James Parish Sheriff Willy J. Martin Jr. and Sheriff Wayne L. Jones of St. John the Baptist Parish cooperated in hosting and providing supervision and safety for the run. Additional sponsorship for the event, which was to benefit the Special Olympics, was provided by St. James Parish President Dale Hymel Jr., and dozens of local businesses. Runners started a little after 8 a.m. at the foot of the bridge on the Gramercy side and proceeded to run, or in some cases to walk, across the river to the Wallace side, where food, drink and music awaited all. According to Bonnie Louque, an administrative deputy of the St. James Parish sheriff’s office, there were 81 runners this year compared to last year which had 130 participants. “Over the weekend we had the St. James Parish little league baseball game, and in New Orleans there was the Crescent City Classic which might have pulled runners from coming out – nevertheless, we raised $4,000 dollars.” The winner of the one-mile race was Sascha Ketelhut, a visitor from Germany. In the 5K run, the three top finishers among men were David Christenson, Brent Bueche, and Randy Accardo. For the women, the winners were Lacy Millet, Kerstin Ketelhut (the mother of the one-mile victor), and Rachel Kot. The 5K walk was won by Thibodaux and Ulrich Darensbourg.