The second annual Dash 4 Dawn 5K and Kids 1K raised nearly $5,000 for the nonprofit organization Angel Drops, which promotes fitness and nutritional education throughout the San Marcos community.

Jonathan Hernandez, a 23-year-old Texas State University graduate student, was the first to finish the 5K, with a time of less than 17 minutes. He was one of 348 runners who participated March 31.

Hernandez said Dash 4 Dawn is a great cause.

"Obviously it's growing in numbers, and it is doing something positive, so that is always a plus," he said. "The local running community is growing as well, but we are still trying to get more people active."

Angel Drops plans to launch its next initiative before this school year ends, in conjunction with several area restaurants. The exercise program will be open to all San Marcos children.

Children who complete the program will be able to eat free at participating restaurants from an approved, healthy menu. The organization is working to finalize a few details before formally announcing the program.

Angel Drops

Angel Drops was created in memory of Dawn Breihan-Hopp, a physical education teacher at Crockett Elementary School who died of lung cancer in December 2010.

Breihan-Hopp had been part of the San Marcos community for more than 20 years as a teacher. More than 1,000 people paid their respects at a memorial service held in 2010 at the school's auditorium.

Susan Cohen walked the 5K this year and said she remembered Breihan-Hopp from when her daughter was in her class years ago.

"She had a tremendous effect for all of those years and all of those kids that she taught," Cohen said. "My daughter is 26, and Dawn was her teacher. They did the Jump Rope for Hearts, and that was really my daughter's first introduction to physical fitness."

Jill Holechek met Breihan-Hopp in 2007 when she moved to San Marcos and her children began attending Crockett Elementary School.

"I'm a parent that likes to know what my kids are doing and who their teachers are, so I started volunteering at Crockett," she said. "I ended up loving volunteering for Dawn. She was very organized, she got the kids inspired and moving, and I was just drawn to her type of teaching and what she was getting those kids to do."

As Holechek began volunteering more for Breihan-Hopp, the two women became close friends.

In November 2010, Breihan-Hopp was diagnosed with cancer. Holechek said Breihan-Hopp's family and friends felt confident she would be able to beat the cancer because she was healthy and followed her own motto of exercising daily.

The cancer spread quickly, however, and Breihan-Hopp died less than two months after being diagnosed.

Breihan-Hopp had tried for many years to get a track built at Crockett Elementary so students could run safely, instead of in the school's parking lot. Holechek said she promised Breihan-Hopp she would have a track built at the school.

"And if you tell a dying woman that you are going to put a track in, then you better put a track in," Holechek said.

Holechek and three friends, Jennie LaBuhn, Pam Dever and Melodie Schleder, formed Angel Drops to fulfill that promise to Breihan-Hopp.

Dawn Breihan-Hopp Memorial Track

Angel Drops' first fundraising event, Toast for Dawn, was a wine-tasting and silent auction in April 2011 that raised $7,200. The group followed that with the first Dash 4 Dawn 5K race in May 2011, which saw 144 runners and raised $6,200.

Holechek said they moved quickly because they wanted to "ride that wave of passion of her passing."

The organization's third event was a Slice for Dawn golfing event in October 2011 that raised almost $8,000. By then, the group had raised nearly $40,000, which included private donations.

Construction on the Dawn Breihan-Hopp Memorial Track began in December 2011 and was completed the third week of January 2012.

The track cost $90,000 to build, of which Angel Drops paid $18,000. The rest of the funds came from companies and individuals in San Marcos who donated materials and their time to ensure the track was completed, Holechek said.

"It was amazing to get all of those people working on their holiday," she said. "It just again shows you what a community can do."

Bailey Henderson is the new physical education teacher at Crockett Elementary and said her students are excited about having the track. She said she is very supportive of Angel Drops and what the group is trying to accomplish.

"Everyone has lost someone to cancer, unfortunately, and I have big shoes to fill since I took over Mrs. Breihan's position after she passed away," Henderson said. "Even though I did not get the pleasure of meeting her, I've heard nothing but positive things, and the kids are always talking about her."

Even before the track was complete, Angel Drops organizers said they knew they wanted to continue working together.

"What we discovered doing this is that every single one of us on this board has a passion for health, fitness and well-being," Holechek said. "This community has a desperate need for someone to reach out to these kids and their families and not preach, but just do activities that plant seeds where these kids will make better choices for their bodies later."