The Rhode Island Dercum’s Research Fund held its first Zero K fundraiser Saturday at the K of C Hall on Sandy Lane. The event had all the trappings of a 5K or 10K event, including participant t-shirts, stretch exercises and a starting gun fired by Mayor Joseph Solomon. What it didn’t have were the running or walking Ks. With the start of the Zero K, entrants froze – those moving were disqualified. There were plenty of laughs, and at the end of the Zero K everyone rejoined at the K of C to enjoy drinks and “cool off.” Dercum’s is a rare disorder in which body fluid and fatty deposits damage nerves resulting in weakness, intense pain, fatigue and changes in the immune system must commonly affecting women between the ages of 25 and 60. Barbara Lyons Croker (waving at right), who has Dercum’s, has had more than 60 surgeries in the past 22 years to remove tumors and reduce pain. She said Dr. Karen Herbst is the only person doing research on the disorder. Since being founded in 2008 by James Greene, RIDRF has raised $100,000 to combat the disorder. His niece, Amanda Johansen, now directs the fund. (Warwick Beacon photo)