Races commemorate Remember the Ten

OSU said it would never forget. 
Kerry Alexander, the Remember the Ten race founder and chair, said he wants to keep that promise. 
On Jan. 27, 2001, 10 people, the majority of whom were closely associated with OSU, died in a plane crash. OSU made a vow to never forget that tragedy - to always remember the 10. 
Alexander, a former OSU student, said he joined the effort about three years ago when he was "thinking about the 10 that had died and wanted a way to remember them."  
Alexander first got in touch with the university.  
"I wanted to see if the families would be supportive," he said. 
The support came easily, especially from OSU's Athletic Department. 
Alexander said Dave Martin, a senior associate athletic director, was one of the first people to support his idea. 
"Everything kind of clicked that we should set up a sporting event at OSU to remember the 10," Alexander said. "The first event was held just about two years ago and the third one is coming up in two weeks." 
The race has raised about $25,000 the past two years, with about 1,000 participants each year. That money goes directly to the race's beneficiary, OSU University Counseling Services. 
"When the 10 men died in the plane crash, counseling services was the first line of support for the families," Alexander said. "It helped families deal with grief." 
Alexander said the race might be even bigger in 2009. This year's races are on April 18. 
"This year we are more than 75 percent above the registration than what we've had in the past," he said. 
However, Alexander said he is concerned that members of the younger generation might not be as driven to get involved in the race because they were so young when it happened. Jenni Crater, an accounting sophomore, said she agrees. 
Crater said she remembers that the crash involved the basketball team and that her sports newscaster died. When asked if she would be more likely to get involved if the event happened in her generation, Crater said, "probably." 
Despite the generational gap, the Remember the Ten race can offer fun and competition to the younger crowds. 
"For the event, we have a 10k run and a 5k run that are competitive where we give out awards." Alexander said. 
For noncompetitors, people can participate in the two-mile fun run or anyone is welcome to volunteer, Alexander said. People aged "50-60 years old, all the way down to freshmen" can get involved. 
Anyone interested in participating or volunteering can find more information at the race's Web site, http://remembertheten.com. 
Three years ago, when the race was just getting started, Alexander read the book by Bill Hancock, the father of crash victim Will Hancock. Bill Hancock's story about the bike ride he took across the U.S. to help him through his grief resounded with Alexander, especially because his father died while he was in college. 
At the time, he "would have never considered counseling," Alexander said. 
He said it also is important to him that the Remember the Ten race is "able to give some publicity toward the counseling service." 
"It demystifies the whole counseling process, about what they do and how they can be helpful," he said. 
Suzanne Burks, director of UCS and a steering member for the Remember the Ten race, said she was pleasantly shocked the day that Alexander and a friend called her to come by her office. 
"Alexander and Ron Dyer just called and asked if they could come and see me," Burks said. 
One of the biggest questions UCS hopes to solve is how it can help other kids who are grieving. With the money donated from the Remember the Ten race, UCS has been able to upgrade its printed resources about grief, subsidize counseling fees for those who cannot afford grief counseling and is on the road to having five certified grief counselors on staff. 
Burks said UCS is a huge supporter of the Remember the Ten race. 
"Almost everybody on staff either volunteers or runs," she said. 
Alexander also said he is hopeful that the race will continue to be held on the third Saturday of April and expand over the years. 
"We hope that this is a tradition as well as a time to remember what makes OSU unique," Alexander said.  
"We do take care of our own and remember. We are like family.