WENDELL - Scott Merritt drove his pickup slowly through a street of runners huffing and puffing their way to the finish line of the Feed Your Neighbor 5K.

Merritt, who has been a leader in the Wendell United Methodist Church's food pantry program, was on a mission of his own to collect food donated by residents along the race route.

A few days before the Oct. 16 event, volunteers dropped off grocery bags at each house along the route, which stretched from the church, along Academy Street into Pepper Pointe and down Mattox Street through Timberlake.

Merritt waited for most of the runners to make their way through the course before setting off the collect the donations. Brown grocery bags dotted the driveways along the route.

Driving slower than the mailman, Merritt hopped out at each house, collected the donations and put them in the back of his truck.

The food collection is only a small part of the effort church members put into the event.

Much of the effort focuses on the run itself. The East Wake High School cross country team participates. Church members take part. Runners come from all over the region to participate.

There were 109 participants in this year's event, which also included a walking option for those who didn't want to break any land speed records.

Some are there only for the chance to take part in a race, but event organizer Carol Gates says their contributions help keep the pantry going.

"Because of generous donations and support from the community, more than 95 percent of the money collected through sponsorships and registration fees for the race goes directly to the WUMC food pantry budget," Gates said in an email to supporters.

This year's event raised $5,000. That's important money, Merritt says.

"We've always said we wanted the food pantry to be self-sustaining. It needs to make its own money rather than pulling from the church's budget," Merritt said.

And, the race?

Well, Evan Watchempino won the event, completing the 5K race (3.1 miles) in 17:15, followed in second place by Jeffrey Andrews-Barrett with a time of 18:15. Fourteen-year-old Carter Owens took third, completing the course in 18:17.

Crystal Moore won the women's event with a time of 22.21. Jennifer Adams finished second in 23:31 while Sarah Martin completed the course in 24:55 to claim third place.