 On the morning of Saturday, Oct. 8, 2005, 129 runners and walkers, along with 40 student, faculty, staff, and community volunteers, braved torrential rains to honor the memory of Senior Associate Dean Ellen Whitener, who passed away in March 2005, at the inaugural Ellen Whitener Memorial 5K Run.
The run was hosted by Beta Alpha Psi and the Commerce Council, with proceeds going to the Ellen Marie Whitener Faculty Fellowship Fund. “We were so pleased and touched by the support of the McIntire community and by the community at large,” said Comm Council Service Chair Elizabeth Jetton (McIntire ’06), one of the race’s organizers. “Having been a student of Dean Whitener’s, I recognize the talent she had in mentoring and motivating those around her.” Added fellow organizer and Beta Alpha Psi Service Chair Carter Avery (McIntire ’07), “we felt like this was such a wonderfully positive way to honor Dean Whitener, who was such a wonderfully positive, active, giving person.”
McIntire doctoral intern Troy Buer (Education ’08), who played a central role in organizing the race, also noted the generosity of local businesses in supporting the race. Prizes were donated by Vanessa Luggage and Leather Goods, Beecroft & Bull, Baggby’s Gourmet Sandwiches, Rapture, Bed Bath & Beyond, Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, Casella’s Italian Restaurant, and Miller’s. In-kind donations came from Bodo’s Bagels, Chandler’s Bakery, Hightech Signs, Ragged Mountain Running Shop, and Whole Foods. Sponsors included State Farm Insurance, Pepsi-Cola, Volvo of Charlottesville, Staples Fine Art, and Hightech Signs. Generous donations were also made by Assistant Dean Rebecca Leonard, Professor Adelaide Wilcox King, and Dean Whitener’s
family and friends.
“The response of the School and of the Charlottesville community is a real testament to the kind of person Ellen was,” said McIntire Dean Carl Zeithaml. “She had such a positive impact on so many people, in so many ways. We want to be sure that legacy
continues.”
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