By Kim McDarison

The 13th annual “Run for Trey” race, according to its organizers, will be held Sunday, Oct. 8.

The race, which will be held in Whitewater’s Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Rd., will begin and 10 a.m. Runners will be able to pick up their packets beginning at 8 a.m., according to information released by Molly Fuller, who has served as an event organizer for nine years. 

Proceeds from the event are used to support area scholarships, according to the release.

Through last year’s fundraising efforts, Fuller noted within the release, five scholarships were presented to School District of Fort Atkinson seniors, and, she added, there are plans to provide similar scholarships this year.

Fourteen students within the Whitewater Unified School District also were recipients of Run for Trey scholarships.

Students within both districts each received awards of $500.

As stated in the release, the Run for Trey 5k race was established to support the development and maintenance of the little league field in Whitewater’s Starin Park, known as “Treyton’s Field of Dreams,” along with yearly local scholarships for students. 

The field was erected as a memorial to Treyton Kilar, a then-6-year-old boy who was killed Sept. 2, 2010, when the car in which he was traveling was struck by a drunk driver.

Treyton’s parents, Mary and Mike, with help from the Whitewater community, built the baseball field in honor of their son and to provide “a safe place for children and families to celebrate life and spend time together,” the release stated.   

As noted in the release, “fundraising efforts each year from the Run for Trey help thousands of other children have a better future and learn responsible, life-long decision-making skills.”

According to information released by Fuller after last year’s event, the race attracted some 251 registered runners in 2022, along with 53 participants who did not run, but “came to experience the day.”

The race, in 2022, attracted some 60 volunteers who helped organize the event and make the day a success, Fuller noted in information shared in 2022.  

Fuller serves as a special education aide within the School District of Fort Atkinson and Mary Kilar is the principal at Purdy Elementary School, also within the School District of Fort Atkinson, and a former principal of Lincoln Elementary School within the Whitewater Unified School District.

In 2022, Fuller noted that the course, which is changed slightly each year, takes participants through the city of Whitewater, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus and Starin Park, located within the city and adjacent to campus. 

Each year, the event begins with several speeches, attendees together sing the national anthem, and the racing competition portion of the program is begun. Runners cross the finish line at Treyton’s Field of Dreams within Starin Park, Fuller said.   

Growth

Responding to questions by email in 2022, Fuller wrote that the event has shown signs of growth each year. 

Referencing a spreadsheet produced by organizers, she noted, “This year (2022), we had the most first-time runners, which was really exciting.”

Also different from previous races in 2022, she said, was the length of time people stayed after the run was completed. A goal, she added, is to extend the run to encompass kid- and family-friendly activities to create a “day for Trey.” 

In keeping with that goal, this year the event, along with the all-terrain run/walk, will feature a run onto the field at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Perkins Stadium, a bounce house and obstacle course for kids, balloons, a raffle, and opportunities to purchase food.

According to the release, dogs are welcomed. 

Those interested in registering for the race, may do so through the following website: www.treysfield.org.

Online registration ends Saturday, Oct. 7, at 10 p.m. An opportunity to register for the race also will be made available at the event.

Costs associated with registration are as follows: $20, for adults registering before Oct. 8; $25 for adults registering on race day at the event; $15 for runners aged 17 and under, and $20 for runners aged 17 and under who register on race day at the event.

According to information within the release, “‘Runsignup’ the platform used to collect registrations, will discount applicable registration fees at checkout based on birthdates.”

History and goals 

According to information released by Fuller, Treyton Kilar enjoyed playing baseball. On Oct. 4, 2014, Treyton’s Field of Dreams, a youth-sized baseball field, was officially opened in his memory in Whitewater’s Starin Park.  

“Family, friends, community members and strangers from all over the country provided support to make this field a reality,” Fuller wrote, adding that the field provides “a wonderful place for the youth of the area to come and enjoy baseball, just as Trey did. Funds raised in Trey’s name have also been used to build a top-notch concession stand and support maintenance for the field.”  

Said Fuller: “Our mission is not only to remember a boy whose life was taken far too soon, but also to use his memory to benefit both Walworth and Jefferson county communities as a whole.” Additionally, she said, “we are funding scholarships, given in Trey’s name, to students in Jefferson and Walworth counties.  

“Scholarships are not based on academics, (but) rather on character. Coaches and/or educators are asked to review scholarship applications that are given to students who are coachable, kind, carry a good work ethic, honest and a good teammate. In addition, the athlete must have made good choices throughout their high school career and not had any code violations. The scholarships are meant to honor the goodness in our youth and carry the hope of continued good decisions and leadership into our future.”  

Fuller noted that much of the work to continue bringing advantages to the public in Kilar’s name is facilitated through volunteers. 

“We have our core group of volunteers who consist of family and friends who volunteer each year,” Fuller noted.

Those interested in learning more about volunteering may contact Fuller by email: mollyo18@me.com.

Those interested in learning more about the race in general, may visit its website: https://treysfield.org/.

An earlier story published on WhitewaterWise’s sister site, Fort Atkinson Online, is here: https://fortatkinsononline.com/area-scholarships-supported-through-12th-annual-run-for-trey/.