The TCU chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta cheered on almost 2,500 participants at the 16th annual Theta 5k Sunday morning, a race raising money for abused and neglected children. 

The Theta 5k Fall Breakaway Fun Run/Walk raised more than $42,000 for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Tarrant County, an organization that trains advocates to become mentors to children who come from abusive homes, said Courtney Garcia, a sophomore speech and language pathology major who worked as the PR Director for the 5k.

The mentors speak on the children's behalf in court to help save them from the abuse, she said.

"The more money that we raise, the more money that we give them, the more people that they can train so that more children can be taken from their situation and put into a safe place," Garcia said.

The race started at 9 a.m. with some runners crossing the finish line at 9:15 a.m. Volunteers offered water and bananas to the participants at the end of the race. Members of the sorority cheered on the runners and walkers at different checkpoints along the course of the 5k. 

Winners of the race won gift cards provided by businesses in the TCU community.