WENTZVILLE, Mo. – Runners and walkers gathered in St. Charles County on Sunday morning to exercise and raise money and support for people in need during the fifth annual Wentzville Blue Line Family 5K run/walk event.
Young, old, fast, and furry; there was a lot of variety among the participants Sunday at Heartland Park. They all gathered with a singular goal: helping the Wentzville Police Department’s Blue Line Family. The 501c3 non-profit acts as a support system for the department’s officers, staff, and their families.
“Twenty percent of all the funds raised go right back into the community. We put that in the by-laws when we founded the organization,” Wentzville Police Sgt. Jacob Schmidt said.
Schmidt says this year’s event holds special meaning with the recent passing of veteran police dispatcher Della Williams.
“The organization stepped up and is going to help the family and pay for the funeral and all the other related expenses,” Schmidt said. “It’s a sad time, for Della’s passing, but what good comes out of that is all the great work this organization does. The money raised here is going to pay for that.”
Beyond the support the organization provides police families, it also helps those in need within the Wentzville community by providing meals, gifts, and other supplies.
“They do a lot for everybody, all the time. All year long,” said runner Katie Bowman.
“I love racing and this is an event for the community supporting the Blue Line Family, the police department, first responders, and the city,” said runner Emma Whatley.