Jessie Games honors late Mt. Lebanon resident
Sarah Olesky at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon
The Pittsburgh Pierogies pay a visit to the 2015 Jessie Games.
Watermelon eating was one of the many activities during the 2015 Jessie Games.
The dreary, overcast skies and rain that prevailed on May 1 at the start of the Dick’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon could not dampen the spirit of Sarah Olesky as she joined more than 2,800 runners, out of 20,000 marathon participants, who raised money for charity through the Run for a Reason program.
Her late friend Jessie Egan Smith had a passion for running and a generosity of spirit, often raising funds for charity. So a team bearing her name for the Pittsburgh Marathon with proceeds going to Catholic Charities was a natural fit.
The concept of Team Jessie grew from the heartbreak of her sudden death at age 23 in November 2013, igniting an outpouring of love and support from family, friends and the community of Mt. Lebanon. Preceding this year’s Pittsburgh Marathon charity team, a summer event know as the Jessie Games, now in its third year, was created to celebrate her life and spirit.
Olesky and Smith became friends as freshmen at Seton-La Salle High School. Having the same schedules and similar interests, especially running, the two became inseparable.
Smith was described as having a contagious spirit and a love of competing and running. She ran both the Erie Half Marathon and the Pittsburgh Marathon in 2013, raising money for children with disabilities.
“Though running without her in this year’s Marathon was bittersweet, I did feel as if Jessie was with me each mile,” Olesky said. “Jessie always had a smile and a kind word for everyone, and she was 100 percent dependable. If you ever needed her, she would drop what she was doing to be able to support you. Her friendship was one-of-a kind and I hold our memories deep in my heart.”
Jessie Smith was the daughter of Matt Smith, a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editor, and Clare Ansberry-Smith, a Wall Street Journal columnist. She was the sister of Pete and Eli, all of Mt. Lebanon.
She attended St. Anne School in Castle Shannon and graduated from Seton-La Salle in 2008. She also was a member of Duquesne University’s Sigma Kappa Sorority before starting her career in retail fashion.
The third annual Jessie Games will be held starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 9, at Seton-La Salle High School’s Merrick Field, 1000 McNeilly Road, Mt. Lebanon.
Continuing with the annual theme of an old-fashioned family picnic with carnival games, activities will include races for children, face painting, games, sports, a watermelon eating contest and bingo. The Pittsburgh Pirates Pierogies will also make an appearance and the event will conclude with a cookout of hamburgers and hot dogs.
The snowdrop flower bulb, which symbolize hope and rebirth, and hand-engraved Jessie stones will be available for purchase. All proceeds benefit enrichment activities offered through Catholic Charities’ Summer Lunch Program. In the first two years, The Jessie Games raised $55,000 for the program.
Since its inception in 2012, Catholic Charities’ Summer Lunch Program has provided nearly 2,000 free and nutritious meals to children ages 18 and under at the Susan Zubik Welcome Center in downtown Pittsburgh. Along with lunch, children enjoy enrichment activities throughout the 10-week program, from making crowns to playing “recycle bingo.” A highlight is “DJ Dancing’ Fridays,” when the kids dance and sing, and an end of the summer backpack giveaway. Proceeds from the Jessie Games will support and enhance those activities, helping bring to them the fun, celebration and spirit that marked Jessie’s life.
Admission to The Jessie Games is $10 for an individual or $40 for a family. To register, visit www.thejessiegames.org.