WESTMINSTER, Mass. — The frigid air couldn’t keep hundreds of people from running in honor of a young woman whose murder remains a mystery.
Not only did the 5K in Westminster honor Vanessa Marcotte, it raised big money for a cause that was close to her heart.
Some who knew her wanted to turn heartbreak into action.
The annual ‘Spring into Action 5K’ in Westminster took on new meaning this year, in honor of Vanessa Marcotte.
"Vanessa was my high school classmate,” Justine Popik explained. “Vanessa was a shining star in our class. She was caring and giving and passionate."
Police say Marcotte was in Princeton from New York visiting her mother for the weekend when she went out for a jog and never returned. Her murder remains unsolved.
But Saturdays run wasn’t about the past, but hope for the future.
"Everything through registration, everything through raffle, through donations is going to Tutoring Plus in memory of Vanessa Marcotte," Popik explained.
Tutoring Plus is a charity where Marcotte volunteered during her time as a student at Boston University.
"It's amazing to see how Vanessa is inspiring so many people,” Kathryn Fenneman, executive director of Tutoring Plus, told FOX25.
She said she interviewed Vanessa when she applied to volunteer.
“You could tell that she cared about people and being involved and doing the right thing,” said Fenneman.
So hundreds of runners shook off the chill and pounded the pavement as Vanessa Marcotte continued to inspire.
“I think we need to keep her name out there. I think we need to keep her story out there and I think we need to bring people together,” said Popik.
More than 300 registered runners raised about $7,000 for Tutoring Plus.