By Mallory Sherwood, Staff Writer

Thirty-one students and members of the community gathered at Elmer Gray Stadium on Saturday morning to remember and to participate in the Tiffany Hamilton 5K Run in honor of former ACU student Tiffany Hamilton, who died Sept. 3, 2003, after a long battle with pneumonia.

This is the second year for the race and may be the last, said project co-leader Jessica Sjolander, senior marketing major from Mt. Vernon, Wash.

Sjolander, who had hoped around 200 people would participate this year, said only about 70 people participated or donated money.

Many friends were there to support her though.

“Tiffany was a good friend of ours,” said Thurmond Metters, senior psychology major from Houston and member of The Group, which sang before and after the race in memory of Hamilton. “We would do anything to support her and her family. She was a great girl; real giving and spirited.”

Many remembered Hamilton and what she meant to them.

“She always had a big smile; always happy,” said Shannon Bailey, senior business management major from Corsicana. “Tiffany was so giving and volunteered for about anything that needed done. She loved to sing and had a great heart.”

Students in Free Enterprise, who sponsored the event because Hamilton had been a member, asked those that participated to donate $10 for either a shirt or to run.

Despite the smaller turnout this year, SIFE raised more than $700 in Hamilton’s honor, Sjolander said. All proceeds will go to her family to help pay for hospital bills and school loans.

SIFE began the race last year because it wanted to help give her family support, Sjolander said. Hamilton had been hospitalized for several weeks, and because of fluid in her lungs, she required special equipment that raised her hospital bills.

“We really wanted to continue the race to continue providing support for her family and for her memory,” Sjolander said. “A lot of people are still hurting over her death. It went really well though and was exactly what we had hoped for.”