BOULDER – It’s been over a decade since an underage drunk driver claimed the life of a Butte teenager. Now, some in Jefferson County are hoping her legacy will help change the culture around underage drinking.
Sunday is the third annual Mariah’s Challenge Color Fun Run at Jefferson High School in Boulder. The fun run honors Mariah McCarthy, who was fourteen years old when she was struck and killed while walking along a road in Butte.
The fun run raises money for the scholarship fund that has been set up in Mariah’s name. Students under the legal drinking age can take Mariah’s Challenge of Sobriety and receive up to $1,000 to help with college tuition. Organizers want to show kids that alcohol isn’t necessary to have a good time.
“You can go to these events, have a lot of fun with your friends. But if you’re at an event and there’s drinking, use common sense. If someone’s drinking and they say get in the car with me, just don’t do it. What we’re trying to teach young people is it’s okay not to drink,” Bruce Binkowski, event coordinator for Jefferson County, said.
The color run is this Sunday at Jefferson High School. The 5K begins at 12:00 p.m. and the one mile starts at 12:05 p.m. You can register on site Sunday morning for $25.
For more information about Mariah and the challenge, see below.
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