Council member pushes for run participation

The third Annual Calabasas Classic 5K and 10K runs are fast approaching, and City Councilmember Mary Sue Maurer said she hopes residents will come out and support the good causes that the races support.

The Sat., Nov. 11 competition is run by the Talbert Family Foundation, which raises money for local families with members suffering from catastrophic illnesses. But proceeds from the annual day at the races will benefit a variety of causes.

"What is so neat is that the Talbert Foundation has structured this race so that you can fund-raise for your particular cause," Maurer said. "It's unique because it's not a single-issue event. I've never seen a fundraiser where the organizer has allowed for that."

Maurer is running on behalf of Jim Mulay, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputy who was critically injured in the line of duty on Aug. 28 in Malibu. In an alleged attempt to avoid capture, a suspected bank robber deliberately hit Mulay's motorcycle, leaving the deputy clinging to life.

Mulay recently returned home to his family to begin a lengthy and painful rehabilitation.

"It was a personal and very upclose experience that motivated me to really follow Deputy Mulay's condition very closely for the first few days," said Maurer, who was in Malibu having lunch when the accident occurred nearby. "I was so relieved that he was okay . . . and it has been great to see how the community has mobilized around this family."

In addition to Mulay, two other members of law enforcement will benefit from the run. One is Kristina Ripattis, an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department who was hit by three rounds of gunfire last summer. Shot at point-blank range, she was left paralyzed from the sternum down.

A second group is raising money for Enrique Chavez, also with the LAPD, who was partially paralyzed after he was accidentally shot by his little boy.

Other runners are participating for individuals with cancer, seizure disorders and other illnesses. The Calabasas Classic begins at the Calabasas Library and continues on a scenic course through Calabasas Park. The course is sanctioned by USA Track & Field and certified by the L.A. Marathon as an official warm-up race.

As of last week, registration had more than doubled from the 400 participants who ran last year.

In addition to the races, the event will feature a business expo and an appearance by Alexandra Rose Rieger, a teenage actor, singer and dancer who will hand out awards and sign autographs.

She was recently appointed spokesperson for the In A Perfect World Foundation, which encourages children to become socially conscious and responsible leaders. Rieger is a youth ambassador for Kids With A Cause, a charity made up of young celebrities.

For more information, visit www.Calabasasclassic.com.