5K raises $10K for K-9s

More than 150 participants showed up for a 5K run at Nay Aug Park on Saturday morning, using their two legs to raise more than $10,000 for the Scranton Police Department’s four-legged officers.

The proceeds from the run, a first for the department, will benefit the four police dogs that make up the police K-9 unit. The money will help pay for medical care and possibly purchase more dogs for the department in the future.

“We wanted to keep the K-9 unit going,” said police Capt. Carl Graziano, who helped organize the run. When it began at 9 a.m. Saturday morning, 179 runners had registered and received bibs, a bigger turnout than the organizers expected.

Although registration cost $20 and included a T-shirt, the bulk of the fundraising at Saturday’s event came from more than 50 local sponsors. Other participants made donations without participating in the race.

The department’s K-9 unit was reinstated in 2003 with the purchase of two German shepherds, Brix and Blitz. Brix retired earlier this year, but Blitz, who works with Officer Robert Stelmak, was at the race with his three colleagues.

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