by Merlin Anderson
The weather was perfect on Sunday morning, October 16. Our run benefitting Heartland Head Start was held at the Sugar Grove Nature Center. Much thanks to Angela Funk for allowing us to use the facility and for doing a great job of hosting us. Also hosting us were members of the Friends of Heartland Head Start. Sharon Cochran, Tracy Hebb, and David Weber brought delicious food, warmly greeted us, and even served as photographers.
A total of 35 participants included 25 runners, our gracious hosts, and several enthusiastic children. Asa and Harper Lotz as well as Ben, Claire, Jack, and Max Peacock got to enjoy the exhibits in the building and also play in Imagination Grove, thanks to Shayna Schupbach and Kris Peacock who took care of the children while we ran. Most of the runners opted to run the trails and the rest did the 7- mile loop road course. Either way, there was lots of beautiful fall foliage to observe during the run. I spent so much time looking at the foliate and trying to spot deer that I tripped over a tree root. Mary Ellen Schupbach witnessed the fall and complimented me on my “volleyball dig” type of dive.
Charlie Grotevant, driving over from Pontiac to join us would have been the runner travelling the farthest to join us if it wasn’t for Benjamin Funk and Elana Kimbrell who are from Washington, D.C. As you can guess, by the last name of “Funk”, they hail from this area.
Sharon Cochran, a Friend of Heartland Head Start, once again noted how happy all of the runners were as they finished and came in to join the feast. There is nothing like the camaraderie of fellow runners and the joy of giving to a worthwhile cause. We raised a total of $450 for Heartland Head Start which will be used to expand their library of children’s books to enhance their family literacy program for low income families. This is the fourth time we have done a run for Heartland Head Start. The funds raised by all four events add up to a tidy sum of $2,264.
Thanks again to Angela Funk for hosting us, the Heartland Head Start representatives for also being great hosts, and thanks every participant for your fellowship, food, and generous financial support.
