Don Curtis of Utica won the first Natchez Junior Auxiliary Spring Into Action 5K run, and it certainly doesn’t look to be the last.

The run was accompanied by a 5K Walk and one-mile fun run.

&uot;The weather was perfect,&uot; said Kay Ketchings of the Natchez Junior Auxiliary. &uot;The turnout was real good. I hope to make this an annual event.&uot;

Curtis finished with a time of 18 minutes, 26 seconds.&uot;I was deciding whether to come here or not because I have a bad knee,&uot; Curtis said. &uot;I finally made up my mind this morning that I would be here.

&uot;This run got me a good test on my knee. But I felt good. It wasn’t too hot.&uot;

Proceeds from this event will go to the Natchez Junior Auxiliary, which supports projects for local youths.

&uot;That’s what we’re all about — helping the kids,&uot; Ketchings said.

Stephanie King, wife of Trinity boys’ basketball and baseball coach David King, was the female winner in the 5K run with a time of 22 minutes and one second.

&uot;It was pretty tough, tougher than I expected it to be,&uot; King said of the course. &uot;I felt good until the last 1/2 mile with those steep inclines.&uot;

Samuel Martin of Philadelphia, Mississippi won the male division in the 5K walk with a time of 31 minutes, 20 seconds.

&uot;I enjoyed it. I liked this course and the hills,&uot; Martin said. &uot;This is my sixth season of doing this kind of walking. I’ve won 170 trophies, so this will be another one to go in my house.&uot;

Nancy Dykes of Wesson, a 55-year-old teacher at Co-Lin’s main campus in Wesson, won the 5K run female division with a time of 31 minutes, 58 seconds.

&uot;It was an exhilirating race,&uot; Dykes said. &uot;I loved the course, the rolling hills. I’ve learned that determination gets you through the chute.&uot;

Eleven-year-old Forrest White of Natchez won the male division in the One-Mile Fun Run with a time of 7 minutes, 47 seconds.

Eleven-year-old Courtney Timm, also of Natchez, won the female division of the One-Mile Fun Run with a time of 8 minutes, 44 seconds.