Steppingstone, Inc. held its 13th annual 5K Walk & Run for the Homeless on August 8, 2015, to raise funds for the First Step Inn at 177 North Main Street to enable it to continue to provide emergency shelter for the area's homeless population. This year's event was moved to the quiet streets of the Fall River Industrial Park and the BK's Beacon Restaurant parking lot on Airport Road where an official 5K race was added. Olympian Judi St. Hilaire, 7th place winner of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics was on hand to champion the race that included 44 contestants along with dozens of walkers on the 3.6 mile course. "We have a new building on Durfee Street that will be rehabbed very shortly, hopefully, to accommodate all of the homeless individuals in Fall River," stated Steppingstone Executive Director Kathleen Clark. The annual event raises funds to provide counseling, proper nutrition, bedding and other services to help the homeless stay clean, sober and safely sheltered. Click here for the official race results. Click here for a 22-minute video of the event. Click here for pictures of the last year's event and here for pictures of the 2013 event. Click here photos from the recent Homeless Connect event at Bristol Community College. .For further information or to make a donation anytime, contact Kathy Clark at 508-674-2788, Ext. 110.  

(Top row) Patrick Russell, Mike and Sally Bryant and their dog, Blu, and David Simons get ready for the event as former Olympic runner Judi St. Hilaire and Steppingstone Executive Director Kathleen Schedler-Clark welcome the participants. (Row two) First Step Inn staff member Yeama Kamara registers to run in the 5K race while walkers Rev. Donald Mier and Channa Guinard of First Baptist Church look over one of the prizes. (Row three) Dave Clark emcees the program before the start of the race. (Rows four. five and six) Dozens of walkers head out on the 5K course through the Industrial Park. (Row seven, center and right) Twenty-one-year old runners Michael Vaz and Joseph Ryan lead the race. (Row eight) Third-place winner Sean Herlihy of Walpole joins Joseph and Michael as 57-year-old Carlos Pimental of Fall River crosses the finish line and  Lucia Vitorino and Tabitha Gendreau finish the race. (Row nine) Brian Zeugschmidt of San Diego talks with Judi St. Hilaire while Marge Cardozo of the Somerset Schools and Natalia Konarski of Saint Anne's Hospital come in first place in the walk, and Volunteer Peter Gafney directs runners to the finish line. (Bottom row) Gilbert Rocha of Swansea, Sam Mao and Kevin Digaetano finish the event before Dave and Cathy Clarke thank the participants. .