Runners often participate in races to support a cause or person. Next month, runners — and walkers, friends, family and anyone else who wants to participate — will lace up their shoes and participate in a race to honor the memory of Sharae Jones.
The Sharae Jones Third Annual Memorial 5K Run/Walk will take place at 10 a.m. March 12.
Sharae Jones — formerly Sharae Bryant — died three years ago as a result of domestic violence, and her mother, Sharol Jones, said she is thankful that her daughter’s memory lives on.
“For a parent, you don’t want your children to be forgotten,” Sharol said. “Life has to go on, but I never want her to be forgotten. She was a wonderful person and loved by many.”
Sharol said Sharae’s four children are being raised by Sharol’s other daughter, and the children are doing well.
“[My daughters] are so different, but they both mother the same,” she said. “It’s a blessing to me to see my younger daughter raising my older daughter’s children.”
Shelly Clopper, one of the race organizers and one of Sharae’s friends, said the race has grown far beyond what its organizers expected.
“We started the run the first year thinking it would just be 15 people, maybe 20 people,” she said. “It ended up being hundreds of people. We had to move the location when we found out the interest. We had it in Cabot that year, but we had to move it to McArthur [Church], which is in Jacksonville. It’s the family’s church, and they have been very supportive.”
Sharae Jones was a runner, Clopper said, and it is fitting that a race is held every year in her memory.
“We ran together,” Clopper said. “She was an avid runner, a very good runner. She was way faster than me.”
Heather Sanders, another of Jones’ friends who helps organize the race, said Jones exclusively ran 5K races, and she was good at them.
“She wasn’t a long-distance runner,” Sanders said. “When she ran and she trained, she trained for 5Ks. That was her thing, so that’s why we felt a memorial 5K was perfect for her. … It’s just a time to be out there to reflect and remember and get her family and friends together.”
When Clopper reflects on Jones’ life, she said the thing that stands out was Jones’ faith.
“Her faith and her family’s faith have really been remarkable,” Clopper said. “I believe there has been a lot of good with people trying to better their faith and beliefs [since Jones died].”
Sanders went to church and was in a small group with Jones, and she said Jones was always kind and welcoming.
“A lot of women are standoffish if they don’t know other women, but she was never like that,” Sanders said. “Sharae was never like that. She was always so warm and welcoming and made sure you never felt like an outsider.”
Sanders said her pastor has been welcoming and helpful since the race moved to McArthur Church.
“When I asked our pastor, Marc Bateman, he told me the church would be honored [to provide the location for the race] and that they would help with whatever we
needed,” she said. “They offered to help pitch in for food. They provide the food, facilities and whatever we need.”
This year’s race will take place at McArthur Church, 3501 John Harden Drive in Jacksonville. There is no registration fee, but T-shirts will be sold, and donations will be accepted to contribute to a trust fund that has been set up for Jones’ children. For more information, visit the Sharae Jones Third Annual Memorial 5K Run/Walk Facebook event or the Remembering Sharae Facebook page.
Staff writer Angela Spencer can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or aspencer@arkansasonline.com.