Casselberry 5K race raises money for veterans

CASSELBERRY, Fla. - More than three hundred runners took off from the starting line at Lake Concord Park in Casselberry on Sunday. 

They were running ahead of the Veterans Day holiday to support America’s men and women in uniform. "They've serviced everyone, gone all around the world, a lot of them have really suffered from a lot of physical and mental ailments, and we really have to be there for them and support them," said runner Feriha Bilgen.

Bilgen works at the Lake Baldwin VA Clinic. She said she's seen all kinds of veterans and heard their stories. "Their stories are always inspiring. You see the ones in their 20's who just got out of service, all the way up to your 90's and 100-year-old veterans, you know?"

TrustCo bank hosted the 5k race. TrustCo SVP JR George said it was the least we could do to honor America’s veterans. "It's caught on, kind of every year we've increased the number. It's a great cause, we get a great turnout, veterans groups are here that we donate to, so it's really just a great event."

Along with the race, there was a kids run, face painters, a bounce house, and DJ. The proceeds from Sunday's event benefitted six local charities that support veterans and their families. Organizers said there wasn't a target for how much money they hoped to raise, but runners said every bit helped. "This is how we can give back to all these organizations that this race supports," said runner Denise Wyman, "and show our support for our veterans."