The rainy weather couldn't dampen the spirits of 200 runners and walkers of all ages who turned out for the Groton Dunstable Education Foundation's third annual Octoberfest 5K: Road Race, Walk & Kids' Run on Sunday, Oct. 14, at Dunstable's Larter Field. The event helped to raise funds for enrichment grants to the five schools in the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District.

Florence Roche Elementary School music teacher John Wiesner of Groton was the overall male winner with a time of 18:50, while 15-year old Bethany Fordham, a student at GDRHS, was the fastest female runner with a time of 22:34.

More than 80 children from kindergarten through grade six raced around the Larter Track for the Kids' Run, organized by grade level. The top three students in each race were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals, with all the runners receiving a water bottle donated by Luth Karate.

Between races, children enjoyed face painting by high school volunteers and decorated their own pumpkins, donated by Goss Farm of Dunstable. Main Street Café helped warm the crowd with breakfast sandwiches and hot drinks, while café owner Bob Wright kept the energy level high with great music from his five-piece band, "Back to the Garden."

Thanks to the generous support of GDEF's Octoberfest sponsors, including Premier Sponsor Groton Medical Associates, race director Sarah Eisenklam reported that GDEF expects to clear just over $10,000, which will go directly

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into funding this year's school grants.

Applications for GDEF's fall cycle of mini-grants up to $500 are due Oct. 28, and grants will be awarded at the end of November. Look for GDEF's larger spring grants cycle to close in March, with no cap on grant amounts. Visit GDEF's website, www.gdefinc.org, for more information on grants and fundraising.

Octoberfest photos are courtesy of Cheryl Steinhoff Photography and are available for free downloads through Oct. 29 at www.cherylsteinhoffphotography.com.

The top 25 finishers were:

1 John Wiesner, 43 M, Groton, 18:50

2 Nicholas Fordham, 16 M, Groton, 19:43

3 Ryan Flanagan, 15 M, Dunstable, 20:02

4 Mike Thompson, 50 M, Dunstable, 20:20

5 Tim Dolan, 47 M, Groton, 20:21

6 Leo Demers, 55 M, Lowell, 20:35

7 Drew Cartier, 15 M, Groton, 20:36

8 Isaac Woodward, 30 M, Dunstable, 21:08

9 Eric Hanson, 51 M, Pepperell, 21:10

10 Lucas Acaba, 15 M, Groton, 21:34

11 Jeremy Keast, 11 M, Groton, 21:36

12 Spencer Davis, 13 M, Dunstable, 21:51

13 Danny Horrigan, 16 M, Groton, 21:53

14 Riley Patten, 13 M, Groton, 22:08

15 Chuck Davis, 49 M, Dunstable, 22:11

16 Matthew Mccracken, 40 M, Groton, 22:32

17 David Naughton, 17 M, Groton, 22:32

18 Michael O'Malley, 44 M, Dunstable, 22:34

19 Bethany Fordham, 15 F, Groton, 22:34

20 Kim Sheffield, 57 M, Groton, 22:35

21 Leo Tometich, 52 M, Dunstable, 22:53

22 Meghan Smith, 32 F, Groton, 23:16

23 Gregory Beyroutey, 36 M, Gardner, 23:27

24 Richard Faias, 50 M, Dracut, 23:34

25 Alexander Hallet, 22 M, Brighton, 23:35