In November of 2021, Sampson Community College (SCC) held its first ever 5K & Fun Run event, commemorating the dedication of the College’s Sampson East Park through ‘Celebrate Sampson.’ On Thursday, November 17, SCC had the pleasure of rehosting the Foundation event, titled this year as ‘The Sampson Shuffle,’ complete once again with races, food trucks, and music open to the community.
The Sampson Shuffle saw over eighty participants registered for either the 5K (3.1 mile) or Fun Run (1 mile) amidst the frigid Thursday weather. All beginning at 5PM, local residents came out to enjoy the festivities and cheer on the participants as they finished their races and received awards at the end of the night. Medals were awarded to the top finishers in each age group for both the 5K and Fun Run.
Food trucks included: Jimmy’s Cookin’ Shack, Taco Arepa, 876 Flavaz, and Sunflower Pizza with music provided by DJ Ross Kimbro of RNB Entertainment. The Sampson County YMCA was also in attendance, offering runners free t-shirts upon completion of their race. Throughout the evening, local EMS and police were on campus to ensure the safety of both the runners and guests.
The unofficial male and female 5K winners for the night were Perry Smith and Catherine Joyner. Top finishers in the female age brackets were Gabi Bonney (10-19), Adreiona Smith (20-29), Kerry Beverley (30-39), Alison Carr (40-49), Robin Palmer (50-59), and Lisa Turlington (60-69). Top finishers in the male age brackets were Reece O’Quinn and Connor Jones (10-19), Andrew Worley (30-39), Stephen Evans (40-49), Anthony Bonney (50-59), and Albert Verrilli (60-69).
The unofficial male and female Fun Run winners for the night were Ted Thomas and Laura Carraway. Top finishers in the female age brackets were Jordan Peterson (10-19), Katie Avery (20-29), Leighann Carter (50-59), Candace Taylor (60-69), and Janice Thomas (70-79).
This year’s major corporate sponsor of The Sampson Shuffle was Enviva. The event also wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of SCC’s faculty and staff, who volunteered their time to make the day a great success: Susan Baxter, Amanda Bradshaw, Cooper Bradshaw, Emily Brown, Katie Butler, Jamie Cannady, Brett Feight, Barney Grady, Kelly Jackson, Sabrina Pope, Ashley Register, Ryan Rutherford, Shelley Ryals, Veronica Stevens, Frankie Sutter, Lisa Turlington, John Turner, Angela Warner, Sharon West, Crystal White, and Krista Wiggins.
Lisa Turlington, Dean of Advancement and Executive Director of the Foundation, shared, “What a fun evening of gathering with friends and neighbors to run, walk, or cheer on others while enjoying dinner from the food trucks and the music of DJ Ross Kimbro. I especially want to recognize and shout out the hard work of Krista Wiggins who organized the race and managed all the volunteers. She did a great job making the event a success!”
Sampson CC extends its gratitude to all the participants, volunteers, and community members who came out and made the College’s second annual 5K & Fun Run event such a fun, memorable night. SCC looks forward to making The Sampson Shuffle an annual tradition, so mark your calendars for the College’s next 5K & Fun Run coming in November 2023.
For more information about the SCC Foundation or The Sampson Shuffle, visit www.sampsoncc.edu/foundation or www.sampsoncc.edu/5k.
About Sampson Community College
Sampson Community College is a member of the North Carolina Community College System, located in Clinton, NC in Sampson County. The college offers many programs to include two-year degrees, college transfer, continuing education and workforce development options and early college education.
