CARBONDALE - If Isabella Moffitt had it her way, she would wear pajama pants everywhere she traveled.
For now, though, the 9-year-old is content with having had the opportunity to run through the streets of downtown Carbondale on Sunday while wearing her holiday-themed pajama pants.
She wasn't alone.
Donning pink pajama pants covered with snowmen, Isabella joined her mother, Kristen, grandmother, Darlene Ferraro-Ploch, and about 100 others who battled the cold weather and participated in the first Presidents' Pajama Pants Prance.
"It's the only time I will let her wear pajama pants in public," laughed Ms. Moffitt, to which Isabella replied, "Until next year's race."
Held in downtown Carbondale, the 1-mile "prance" kicked off just outside City Hall, and took participants - who sported everything from colorful flannel to plaid pajama pants - down Main Street and then back on Church Street.
Though a main reason for the race was to raise funds for the Carbondale Route 6 task force on tourism, the event also served as a great opportunity to bring people to Carbondale, Mayor Justin Taylor said.
"This is something we want to continue next year, because it gets people to the city," said Mr. Taylor, whose dogs, Lucy and Bella, wore matching pajamas. "It's definitely a good thing, even though today was pretty cold."
Throughout his cross-country and track career, 16-year-old Mark Arzie of Scott Twp. has won plenty of medals.
But he said he will always remember the first-place prize he took home Sunday, as well as the 4-foot-tall "Carbon D. Alien" doll he and his teammates secured - and can bring back to Lakeland High School.
"It's a great, creative award," the 10th-grader said, as he clutched the Alien Cup and Saucer box given to him. "This was a team effort, though, and I thought we all ran well."
Contact the writer: miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter