Mother Nature held the rain off long enough for the 18th running of the Milltown Classic 5K Road Race run/walk Saturday morning at Cassidy Park, as 43 people took their mark and helped the Bogalusa Rotary Club in the process.

“This is our 18th race, and it’s our biggest fundraiser by far,” Bogalusa Rotary Club President-Elect Billy Hartfield said. “It helps us donate back to the community because we provide assistance to the Bogalusa Food Bank, we offer scholarships to qualified local high school students, and we help Rotary National in the fight against the deadly disease polio.”

Hartfield said the weather gave them a big break, and they ended up with a nice overcast morning.

“It didn’t get too hot this morning. It was kind of muggy, but it was pretty cool for the most part. We had a nice wind blowing, and toward the end of the race when everybody needed to cool off, we had a few drops of rain,” Hartfield said.

The race had a lot of people helping, including local Venturer Scouts.

“Not enough can be said for them,” Hartfield said. “They are always here with assistance anytime we need them. They always step up to lend a hand. We cannot thank them enough.”

Hartfield also thanked Whitney Bank because he said they were by far the biggest sponsor.

“They came up big with some funds. We were actually down for a small donation, but they surprised last minute with a huge donation,” Hartfield said.

Paul Dautrieve, who will be a redshirt junior at Louisiana Tech in the upcoming season and runs for the Bulldogs, was the overall winner, finishing in 19:13.

It was the third consecutive year Dautrieve has won the event.

“It feels good,” Dautrieve said. “It feels refreshing.”

Dautrieve, a Covington High graduate, said the race is a fun thing to come home and do.

“I got home last Friday, so I’ve only been here a week, and it’s a good start to my summer,” Dautrieve said.

James Turner was runner-up (21:35), followed by Judge Bill Burris (22:51).

Picayune, Miss., resident Janet Earhart was the top women’s finisher in 26:18 on a day she and her husband Rock Earhart were celebrating their 48th wedding anniversary.

“It was a nice cool day because we were overcast,” Janet Earhart said. “The course was nice. They had some tree lines and some hills.”

Coming in behind Earhart was Julie Tyler (27:51) and Laura Dantin (28:26).

Nestor Anzola won the men’s walkers division in 34:09 with Terry Seal (43:34) runner up and Dr. H.K. Tabari (44:10) coming in third.

Barbara Holloway (41.11) topped the women’s walkers in 41.11. Kelli Letellier (43:41) was second, with Shani Landry (44.10) third.

Scott Catalanotto was the first rotarian to finish the race. He ran in 24:50.

Switching to the age divisions, in the male divisions, Michael Beaver won the 12-under (44:10) with Colby Stewart (56:23) second. Both were walkers.

Wyatt Verret (24:74) bested the 13-19s, with Jacob Pounds (31:42) runner up.

Dautrieve was in the 20-24s. Moving to the 25-29s, Sharif Asfour (26:09) took home that division with James Turner (21:35) second. Both guys were runners.

Brad Swanner (34:14) won the 30-34s, Catalanotto was the 35-39s and Jason Verret (30:05), a runner, won the 40-44s.

In the 45-49s, Duncan McClindon (24:56), a runner, won that division. Nestor Anzola, a walker, finished in 34:09, and Terry Seal, a walker, topped the 50-54s.

Kenny Adams (38:14) won the 55-59s, while Burris took the 60-64s.

Rock Earhart (26:19) won the 65-69s, followed by Joseph Tosterud (31:29) and Tabari.

In the women’s age groups, Ashley Dantin (38:31) won the 12-unders, followed by Sydney Verret (40:15), as both were runners, followed by Makynna Penton (49:27), a walker.

Haley Sumrall (29:05), a walker, won the 13-19s.

Dantin topped the 30-34s, followed by Sara Stewart (33:16), Lauren Hartfield (43:22), Jessi Pounds (49:05), Jenni Young (49:06), Rhonda Penton (49:50), Crystal Stewart (50:39) and Jenny Stewart (56:24).

Everybody in this group was a runner except Penton and Jenny Stewart, who were walkers.

Julie Tyler (27:51) bested the 35-39s, followed by Ann Culpepper (40:44).

The 40-44s was won by Sam Verrett (39:43), followed by Landry (44:10), a walker.

Larrilyn Hickman (40:45) won the 45-49s with Letellier second.

Four people ran in the 50-54s with Linda Kellar (32:46) winning, followed by Linda Scroggs (35:58), Collen Fisher (36:50) and Lisa Milton (44:50).

The top three were runners and Milton was a walker.

Earhart and Holloway were in the 60-64s and Jeanette Parker (38:39) was the 65-69s winner.