GUILDERLAND — Jennifer Coton and Patty Hoffman wanted to do something to honor their dear friend Stacy Zounes.

Coton and Hoffman thought they could truly pay tribute to Zounes by holding a five-kilometer road race.

The first will be held on Saturday at DiCaprio Park in Guilderland.

Zounes was killed in a car accident on Dec. 22, 2004. She left behind two daughters — Courtney and Cameron. Zounes was 33.
"She loved fitness," Coton said of Zounes. "She ran in the Freihoffer’s [Run for Women] and she ran in three other races. So, after she passed, we thought this was the best way to celebrate her. Everyone came together."

The race begins at 10:30 a.m. at the park located on East Lydius Street in Guilderland. Pre-race registrations will begin at 9 a.m.
"We now have 80 people registered," Coton said. "It will go up as people will come out on the day of the race and we’ll have an open registration."

The registration fee on Saturday will be $25.

The proceeds of the race will go to a scholarship fund in Zounes’s name. The scholarship will go to a Guilderland High School senior who will go on to college to become a teacher.

Fitness and working with children were two key parts of Zounes’s life. She earned a degree in education at the State University of New York College at Cortland and a dual master’s degree in special education and reading from Russell Sage College in Troy.
"We want to find someone with the same attributes as Stacy," Coton said. "We want to give it to someone who is going on to college for teaching. This will be the first year it’s given."

When asked what attributes Zounes had that would apply to the scholarship recipient, Coton listed many.
"Stacy loved fitness," Coton said. "She was an aerobics teacher and was a good swimmer at Guilderland. We want someone who is athletic. Stacy was a friend to everyone and a positive person. As soon as you met her, you liked her. She was high-energy and very friendly. She was a wonderful spirit."

Coton said it was challenging to start a road race. She was happy with the help she got from Hoffman, who she called a co-coordinator. The pair also got help from Theresa Gavigan, Cheryl Ledet, and Jill Daviero.
"We started it up with the five of us kind of taking on different jobs," Coton said.

Coton and Hoffman decided to start the project and the others joined in.
"Patti and I said, ‘We’re going to do it,’" Coton said. "We are all neighbors and we were in a play group together. They lived a couple of doors down from Stacy. Everyone thought that would be a good way to remember her."

Coton said that she had known Zounes for six years.
"We were a new group of friends," Coton said. "She has a group of friends from high school that are volunteering and helping out."

Coton said there are about 40 volunteers for Saturday’s race.
Many events are being held the day of the race, including "family-fun events" such an obstacle course, bouncy houses, and face painting. A separate registration is required for kids to participate.

Gift baskets will also be awarded to the top man and woman overall and to the top runner in the under-12 age category.
"Because she was killed so tragically," Coton said, "all of a sudden she was there and then she’s gone, we want to say to her that ‘We love you and we celebrate you.’"