DAPHNE, Ala. — Saturday’s forecast called for showers, but the inclement weather did not stop the outpouring of support for SEEDS during its Classic Rock 5K and Fun Run fundraiser.

Denise D’Oliveira, executive director of Supporting Educational Enrichment in Daphne’s Schools said there was a downpour prior to the run and after the run, but rain did not interfere with the event.

This year’s fundraiser was more successful than the organization could have hoped, especially considering the forecast of rain and a similar event in Mobile the next day as part of the Joe Cain Day celebrations.

“(The turnout) was amazing,” D’Oliveira said. “Surprisingly, we were really looking for the crowd to be much curtailed, but we still had 200 runners in the 5K; an estimated 1,200 people in the fun run. It was a huge crowd. We were just thrilled. We really felt like a lot of people might stay away.”

The threat of bad weather did hinder some of the planned festivities, but D’Oliveira said the event was only lacking a few things.

“Of course the threat of bad weather and the 100 percent chance of rain forecast caused us to rethink the big party we usually give for the kids,” she said. The Classic Rock 5K and Fun Run usually ends with a family fun day festival, including a cookout and inflatables. D’Oliveira said this year was the first in the seven years of the run that there was not a festival after the races. All of the festivities were moved inside because of the forecast, so the inflatables were cancelled.

“We really like to make it a big, fun party for families and the whole community. We didn’t get to do everything we had planned but the day went very well in spite of the rain,” she said.

Showers did not interfere with any other aspect of the race, D’Oliveira said, in part to the race’s new location.

“This is only our second year to have it at City Hall; it was wonderful to be able to move everything inside — registration, refreshments that we had and our awards ceremony. We were able to hold all of that inside the atrium and it was just beautiful,” she said.

Proceed tallies weren’t available at press time, but D’Oliveira believes more money will be raised for SEEDS.

“We had registered over 1,500 for both events (the 5K and fun run) all told, so we fortunately were able to see a lot of success from this event in terms of being a fundraiser before Saturday ever rolled around,” she said.

Registration for the Classic Rock 5K and fun run was up by 300 this year, D’Oliveira said.

The run had a little competition from the Joe Cain Run in Mobile, but D’Oliveira said there are a few things that make SEEDS event extra special.

“All six Daphne schools really work hard to generate a great turnout and create excitement for the event with the knowledge that the money we raise is going to come right back to the school,” she said.

She said the support the event receives from the city also had a positive impact on this year’s success.

“I don’t know anywhere else where an organization like ours has such support from the city to really provide volunteers — without those folks it would be a lot harder,” D’Oliveira said.

She is not sure how much money was raised for SEEDS through this event until all of the bills are paid, but she thinks when all is said and done there will be more money to put back into the schools than there was from last year’s event. The funds are used to support a classroom grant program, the International Baccalaureate program at Daphne High School and after school tutoring programs.

Alex Guillory and Elizabeth Akers of Daphne were the first male and female to finish the 5K run with times of 19:29 and 23:03.

The award for runners under the age of 15 were Josh Ducote and Kaleigh Akers of Daphne. Doug Meduna of Mobile and Mary Hopkins of Fairhope were the masters division winners, Gabe Chamblin of Fairhope and Julie Beebe of Mobile were the grand masters winners and Ron Mitchell of Saraland and Cay Welsh of Mobile were the senior grand masters winners. Tanya Drake of Pascagoula finished first in the race walkers division. 

Age-group 5K winners and their times were as follows: 

• Nine and under: female – Sicily Hardy (32:01), Olivia Madison (32:05) and Lauren Martin (32:19); male – Nathan Howell (22:39), Braswell McMeans (26:43) and Gantt Wilkinson (27:38);
• Ages 10-14: female – Casey Tomberlin (25:54), Caroline Huff (28:50) and Mary Katherine Stewart (29:18); male – Trevor Higgins (21:10), Mikey Kasch (22:22) and Mason Arnold (22:42);
  
  
• 15-19: female – Sarah Diard (26:26) and Christina Cook (40:18); male – Chase Diard (20:29), Christopher Cleveland (20:41) and Dillion Fagan(20:57);
  
  
  
• 20-24:  female – April Lowery (28:01) and Savannah Hardy (42:10); male – Logan Brasfield (23:51), Mitch Whatley (31:22) and Jon Cook (37:44);
  
  
• 25-29:  female – Janell Ingle (24:15), Alana Kirchoff (26:33) and Jennifer Eady (28:46); male – Jeremy Ingle ( 22:50), Braswell McMeans (26:38) and Will Woodson (39:58);
  
  
• 30-34:  female – Angela Harmison (24:42), Laura Morris (26:29) and Andrea Lomax (26:31); male –  Robert Walker (21:18), Chad Davis(22:35) and Shane Weldon (26:25);
  
  
• 35-39:  female – Beverly Eubanks (26:19), Beth Allen (27:30) and Amy Wilhelm (28:14); male – Chris Browning (19:44), Joe Armstrong (26:35) and Pete Allen (27:31);
  
  
• 40-44: female – Sharon Barnette (25:50), Camilla Wayne (26:34) and Lorna Mayr (27:37);  male – Patrick Baggett (21:36), Fred Miller (23:22) and Jason Thomas (24:01);
  
  
  
• 45-49:  female – Lisa Arnold (29:06), Frances Simmons (29:10) and MaryLynn Frantz (29:43); male – Chuck Diard (21:26), Benjamin Schrubbe (22:28) and Andrew Citrin (23:01);
  
  
• 50-54:  female – Nancy Williford(28:10) Donna Cleveland (29:07) and Terri Napolitano (38:11); male – Joe Wilson (23:59), Bill Frantz (25:17) and John Cummings (26:15);
  
  
• 55-59: female – Linda J. Smith (33:55) and Diane Roberson-Hill (38:10); male – David Dutton(23:07); Mike Kersten (26:14) and Rick Kucinski (26:20);
  
  
• 60-64:  female – Mona Denton (34:02); male – Stephen Marshall (27:39) and Michael Lehan (38:23);
  
  
• 65-69:  female - Julie Jaksen (35:43); male – Kent Welsh (26:13), Richard Lenz (30:24) and Paul Helminger (31:08);
  
  
  
• 70-99:  Will Wright (26:33).
  
  

Proceeds from the Classic Rock 5K and Fun Run help fund SEEDS' annual Classroom Enrichment Grant Program that benefits the five Daphne public schools and Christ the King Catholic School.