By Laiken Harrigan
Elm Staff Writer
On their daily commute to the dining hall, the students and faculty of Washington College may have passed the table of Alpha Omicron Pi sisters gathered downstairs in Hodson. The sisters are reaching out to members of the WC community to join them for the 10th annual Queen of the Roses 5K. The event honors late AOII sister, Jasmine Dora Queen.
“The event is important to alumni coming back and to Jasmine’s family, to celebrate her impact on the WC community,” Grace Peters, junior event coordinator, said.
Queen died on Aug. 16, 2008, due to a pulmonary embolism, weeks before she was to start her junior year at WC. To keep her memory alive, sisters of AOII, with the permission of Queen’s family, began a scholarship fund in her name.
The race will take place on Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wilmer Park in Chestertown.
There are three ways to register. Early registration is $15. Faculty and students can visit the table in Hodson to register until Sept. 29. Online registration is $25 at www.trisportsevents.com. To register at the event, the price will be the same.
Queen became a sister of AOII her sophomore year in the spring of 2008. She was also a member of Cleopatra’s Sisters and the softball team.
According to an October 2009 article in The Elm, Queen was always surrounded by friends and constantly made them laugh. “Jaz,” as her close friends knew her, was also an attentive student working towards her business major.
To commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the Queen of the Roses Race, sisters will be giving out bracelets to race participants to remind them of the event’s purpose.
The sisters of AOII encourage all clubs and teams across campus to join them in the race. According to Peters, the sisters are connected to and supportive of a wide range of organizations on campus.
According to President of the Running Club Laurinda Nazario, sophomore, the runners are excited to come together in support of AOII.
The trail itself is an out-and-back route, which means runners pass each other along the course, allowing them to high-five, cheer, and support one another throughout the race.
“It is one thing to run for yourself and another to run for those who might not have that opportunity, which is often taken for granted,” Nazario said.
More information can be found on the Facebook event page, and other questions about the race can be directed to the event coordinator, Grace Peters at gpeters2@washcoll.edu.