The late Thelma Urban wasn't faster than a speeding bullet or more powerful than a locomotive, "but Thelma did have the most important quality of all superheroes: she saved people," the Tamaqua Area High School teacher's "bestie" Lori Remmel said of her friend at the start of the first Supurban 5k fun run/walk on Saturday.

The fun run/walk, organized by students and teachers in Urban's memory, drew about 125 runners and another 80 walkers, some wearing Superman gear. They raised $4,243 Saturday, and about $6,400 all together, said Emily Zancofsky, one of seven organizers.Urban, a popular language arts teacher passed away suddenly in June.Her husband, Michael, participated, as did his family, including the couple's children, Sean, 6, and Violet, 4."It's really overwhelming. Sean and Violet and I always used to say that Thelma was a superhero because she helped people and she was good at everything. We didn't come up with the theme for this, but it seems that other people agreed with us that she was heroic in the way she lived her life," he said. "It means a lot to us to know that other people think of her that way, too."Urban's vibrant energy and genuine compassion permeated the atmosphere at the race."Each day and every year of her teaching career, Thelma touched countless lives," Remmel said. "There were so many students who needed someone to listen, someone to care, and, sometimes, someone to save them.""She saved many with her kind words of encouragement, or her willingness to listen earnestly, or her courage to stand up for those who were unable to stand up for themselves," Remmel said.Organizer Roseann Weinrich, a biology teacher at the high school, said Urban was a wonderful teacher, and a mentor and friend to many, many people. We felt we had to do something to honor her, and to help her kids."Proceeds from the run will help provide for the Urban children's educations, and for a scholarship for a graduating senior who plans a career in a language arts field.Alumni Zancofsky and Kyle Weaver initiated the event. The Class of 2015 arranged to have the stadium available for the race run/walk."When she passed away, it struck our town so hard, and Kyle and I thought we should get a group together to do something to honor her. Mrs. Weinrich was able to step in and show us how to do that," Zancofsky said. "We wanted to do a good thing for a good person."Weaver said the idea of a fun run came about as he and Zancofsky chatted by phone while he was at the gym."I was at the gym, running, and I said, let's plan a 5k," he said.The race was to have gone down Broad Street in Tamaqua, but that was changed after fire police were unsure if they would be able to have enough volunteers to manage traffic. Instead, the runners traveled the 3.1 mile cross country track that winds around school property.First place winner in the race was Andrew Waber, 29, of Mary D, who finished at 21.23. The first female winner was Kailee Carroll, 16, of Tamaqua, who finished at 22.27, and was second overall winner in the race, said Diane Grim of Pretzel City Sports, Reading. The company timed the runners.