Cold temperatures and light snow didn’t stop a group of dedicated West Scranton High School students from walking from Pittston to Scranton on Thanksgiving morning.
“I feel like great, like I ran a marathon,” senior Cara Lutchko said afterward.
Cara was one of the eight students who trudged more than 10 miles from the Cooper’s Seafood House, 304 Kennedy Blvd., Pittston, to the Radisson at Lackawanna Station hotel, 700 Lackawanna Ave.
“Walk Up the Line” is an annual charity event that began five years ago as a graduation project for then-seniors Jon Kobrynich and Brooke Spindler, and is named after the old Laurel Line Railroad, explained Amy Rummerfield, a West Scranton High School teacher and adviser of the event. Each year, a new charity is selected by current students, she said. This year, money raised will be used to support Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Alex T. Douglass. an alumnus of West Scranton High School, and his family.
Trooper Douglass was wounded during the Sept. 12 sniper attack at the Blooming Grove state police station in which Police Trooper Cpl. Bryon K. Dickson II was killed.
The exact total of the money raised wasn’t available, but Mrs. Rummerfield counted about $250 and anticipated at least another $100.
First-time walker David Lutchko, a junior and brother of Cara, decided to participate in the walk because of this year’s cause. The Lutchkos are related to Trooper. Douglass, and David once ran a half marathon with him.
“He’d be doing the same thing if another trooper was hurt,” he said.
As the students approached the Raddison on Lackawanna Avenue the snow stopped and many began to run, their shoes and clothes wet from the slush and snow.
“There’s icicles in my hair!” one girl yelled.
Ali Basalyga was surprised that it snowed during the walk because she thought Wednesday’s snowstorm would pass by Thursday morning.
“It ended being better because it was so pretty,” the senior said.
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