All Saints Parish 5K highlights ripple effect of community
BUTLER TWP — When Sarah Kasunic, a former student of Butler Catholic School and Butler County Community College graduate, died in a traffic accident in 2019, her kidney was donated to Allen Schneider, 59, of Greenfield, Wis., who had kidneys that weren’t working and was on dialysis 25 hours a week, his wife said.
On Friday, Allen and his wife, Linda Schneider, were among the families and volunteers who gathered at St. Conrad’s church for the second annual All Saints Parish Twilight 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run honoring the lives of Sarah Kasunic and Emily Leyland, both young women who had been students at Butler Catholic School and parishioners at All Saints Parish.
According to the parish’s communications director, Tracey Belak, 435 people were registered for the event, and more registered at the door.
The Schneiders drove from Milwaukee for the 1-mile walk. It was a worthwhile drive, Linda Schneider said.
Hank and Terry Leyland, parents of Emily Leyland, who died of leukemia in 2013, said the event keeps their daughter’s memory alive. The Leylands cooked upward of 600 hot dogs to serve event-goers Friday as tribute videos of Sarah Kasunic and their daughter played in a nearby tent and community members picked up their race numbers.
“You know, it’s something we look forward to now,” Hank Leyland said.
“It’s healing and comforting,” said Terry Leyland. “We’d like to keep (Emily’s) name going, and the same with Sarah.”
Among the runners were friends of the two women.
Jared Geist, 27, one of the runners preparing for the event, met Sarah Kasunic at Knoch High School.
“(Sarah) was unbelievable; I don’t think I’ve ever seen her sad, upset, mad,” Geist said. “I do miss seeing that smile every day.”
When asked what he thought of the turnout, Geist said he was moved by the outpouring of support.
“I did not expect this many people to be here right now,” he said. “It is quite astounding.“
Ann LeMay, whose daughter Elizabeth LeMay, 28, was a friend of Sarah’s, said the event was a joy to register for and attend with her family.
“It’s great to see our community all come together,” LeMay said.
The Leylands said the event exemplified a ripple effect their daughter continues to have on the world.
“With all the ugliness in the world, this day brings out the joy and the beauty and the kindness of so, so many people,” she said.
She recalled the parish organizing a spaghetti dinner and basket raffle when their daughter was sick with cancer. She said 1400 dinners were sold on a freezing February day, with people waiting for hours to get in.
The community support shown at the race was outstanding, she said.
She described her daughter and Sarah Kasunic as selfless, and similar in how they approached life.
“They were both young women taken too soon,” said Hank Leyland.
Event proceeds will go toward All Saints Parish and the Sarah Kasunic and Emily Leyland Scholarship. Last year, the event raised approximately $20,000.
“This comes together to celebrate (Sarah and Emily’s) lives and also to help young people with the scholarship,” said Hank Leyland.
