Thousands To Run, Walk In Colleen Ritzer Memorial 5K

ANDOVER, MA – The 4th annual Step Up for Colleen 5K is on Sunday, May 7, and thousands are expected to participate in the walk/run in Andover.

Proceeds from the 5K benefit college scholarships in the name of Colleen Ritzer, a Danvers High School math teacher and victim in a high-profile 2013 murder. The scholarships will go to graduates of Andover and Danvers High School students who plan to pursue teaching. Century Bank is sponsoring the event.

Thousands of participants come to the USA Track & Field certified course beginning in Central Park in Andover. Many never met Ritzer, but join anyway to honor her memory.

"On behalf of our family, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to race director Nina Caron and others who have worked tirelessly who plan for this event, and to all those who participate in the Step Up for Colleen 5K Walk/Run who do their part to continue Colleen’s legacy," said the Ritzer family in a statement. "It is incredible to see the community come together each year to honor our beloved daughter and sister."

The opening ceremony will begin at 8:45 a.m. The national anthem will be sung by Katie Rex, a 2015 Andover High School graduate and a recipient of a Colleen E. Ritzer Memorial Scholarship. She is studying at the University of New Hampshire to become a kindergarten teacher. The Ritzer family is expected to briefly address the crowd.

The 5K walk/run begins at 9 a.m., and winds through the streets of Andover and the scenic Moncrieff Cochran Sanctuary at Phillips Academy. Near the finish line, there will be refreshments, live music, face painting, balloon creations, an awards ceremony, and much more. Attendees are encouraged to wear pink, which was Colleen’s favorite color.

"She was from Andover, and while I did not know Colleen, we feel a special bond with her because of how she led her life, and how many lives she impacted,” said Brian Feeney, captain of the Century Bank team. "Never before have we come to feel so close to someone we never knew, and that is because her message was so powerful, genuine, and loving in spirit."

Image via Step Up For Colleen