Jim Ferris 5K makes triumphant return to Holley

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Shannon Brett, right, gets ready to sound the horn to start the Jim Ferris Memorial 5K on Saturday in Holley. It was the first event of the day for Holley’s June Fest celebration.

Brett and the Holley Rotary Club brought the race back after an absence in recent years. The race started on North Main Street Road, just north of the elementary school.

There were 91 participants in the race.

Ferris was one of the top runners in the Rochester region in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He died at age 53 from a sudden heart attack on May 7, 1994.

Lucas Lyons, 22, of Rochester was the first overall finisher in 20:57, just ahead of Jose Quiros of Medina.

Emma Brady was the first female to finish the race. The 17-year-old from Holley ran the 3.1 miles in 24:02. She finished ahead of Tyler Moore, 15, of Holley, who was done in 24:10.

(Left) Matt Feldman, the Holley Jr./Sr. High School principal, heads to the finish line. He completed the 3.1 miles in 27:25. (Right) Holley students painted these rocks which were given to the top 3 finishers in the different age groups.

Carsyn Mogle, 13, edged her father David Mogle down the stretch in the race. Carsyn finished in 27:46, 2 seconds ahead of her father, who is the Albion police chief. Kathryn Berner, no. 152, finished in 27:52.

Brian Bartalo, the Holley school district superintendent (in red), was among the runners in the race. Bartalo is retiring in June after six years of leading the school district. He is next to Grace and Tom Torpey of Holley.

Josh Mitchell and his dog cross the finish line, just ahead of Makenna Seaward, 11, of Holley. Mitchell is co-owner of Mitchell Family Cremations & Funerals. He brought his dog Charles along for the race. Charles is a Golden Doodle grief therapy dog. Mitchell was impressed Charles conquered the course.

“He is a stallion,” Mitchell said.

There were 49 craft, food and other vendors along the canal trail in Holley for the June Fest celebration.

Holley also unveiled a “Telephone of the Wind” in memory of Helene Gleason Calleri.

“This phone is for everyone who has lost a loved one,” according to the plaque with the phone. “This phone is an outlet for those who have messages they wish to share with friends and family. It is a phone for memories & saying the goodbyes you never got to say.”