BY DAN HILDEBRAN
An incoming eighth grader at Pennsylvania’s Waynesboro Middle School won the Lake Butler Rotary Club’s Independence Day 5K race, Saturday Morning, July 5.
Henry Stewart crossed the finish line at Lakeside Park with a time of 28:05. Eight seconds later, the middle schooler’s mother completed the course at 28:13. Paige Stewart said she grew up in Union County as Paige Mosley and is the daughter of Olivia Mosley.
“Jackie and Jessica’s sister,” she added.
The route took runners east and north along the shore of Butler Lake, on Northeast Third Street.
Chrystal Woodall placed third with a time of 31:17.
Race timer Mike Ripplinger said this year’s turnout of six for the 5K race was about the same as last year. However, an additional six participants, who ran in last year’s fun run, were missing from the 2025 edition.
Another parent-child team ran the race: Pam Giebeig and her daughter, Megan Powell.
Briana Carter rounded out the field of six runners.
Paige Stewart said she made her way to the Keystone State because her husband attended Penn State, and the family settled near the Pennsylvania-Maryland state line after he finished school.
She added that her family had just arrived in Union County late the previous day, and she was concerned they might miss the race.
Stewart said her son runs twice a week with his school’s summer running club.
“I’m pushing him to be better,” she added, “so we run two or three days a week together.”
Woodall said she started running with the encouragement of her nephew. She ran the Gate River Run in February, which was three times longer than the Lake Butler route.
