Runners turn out on Siesta Key Beach to keep Andrew Monroe's legacy alive

Stacey Monroe says as a member of local running clubs, she knows many of the hundreds of people by name who turned out for the 13th Annual Andrew Monroe Memorial Scholarship 5K Run/Walk.

“It makes me proud. It makes me very proud,” she said of how the event, held on Siesta Key Beach Jan. 11 in honor of her son, has grown since its founding.

One of the attendees was Charlie Roberts, who has been supporting the event for years and had the chance to coach and referee Andrew.

He recalled him as “super-friendly, super-committed, just a great all-around kid,” stating his son Trevor Roberts, a teammate, was very fond of him as well.

“It's an important function,” Roberts said of the race. “It keeps his name alive and brings money to great causes. So it's a wonderful event.”

The goal of the event is to raise funds for a higher education that Andrew, who died in a car crash in 2011, did not have the chance to complete. 

It provides scholarships to seniors at Riverview High School, where Andrew played soccer, to benefit soccer players, JROTC cadets and track athletes.

Monroe said the funds raised in the race offer anywhere from $12,000 to $16,000 in scholarships, and the leftover funds go to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, which also offers scholarships in Andrew's name. 

Participant Olivia Rosenthal, a 12th grader who plays soccer at Riverview High School, said she knows firsthand the challenges of finding ways to pay for school, so she appreciates the event.

“I just think it's really valuable, because as a fellow senior, I'm also trying to get scholarships for college, so it's nice that I can contribute to an event that's going towards charity, and I know by participating, I'm helping other students get their college paid for," she said.