|
 It was
on Sunday, March 18, 2018. The sun was shining and several local
runners and a bunch of fast walkers took full advantage of it by
participating in the Run for Haiti at Kickapoo Creek Park. Again,
the sun was shining and despite temperatures that just touched the
60 degree mark, it seemed so much warmer to the hard-core runners
who were dressed in shorts and t-shirts for the 2 p.m. start time.
Lincoln
Community High School teacher and soccer coach Tim Stuckey organized
the event and as a runner himself, he admitted, "The trail is a lot
different. I run year-round usually but it's almost all road and the
trail is a lot more difficult. It is slower. I enjoy doing the
trails, but it is so different."
Nonetheless, over 50 people gathered to run, walk, talk and raise
funds for an upcoming trip to Haiti.
The
proceeds from the event go to the Jefferson Street Christian Church
Haiti trip. The trip will take place this summer from June 11
through June 22. While in Haiti, the group plans to do a medical
clinic, eye clinic, Vacation Bible School and a Soccer Camp,
according to Stuckey.
Dr.
Steven Kotteman will do the medical clinic and Dr. Todd Nobbe will
do the eye clinic.
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"I
started the soccer camp in 2015 and in 2016 we started giving
the kids in Haiti a shirt and a ball like you get at a sports
camp here," said Stuckey. "But we fund all that. They don't pay.
And we also feed them because the first year I raised money for
it, the soccer families here in town gave money so quickly that
we raised more than we needed. When I told the missionary we
work with, his response was, "Well if you get enough money, we
will feed them."
Stuckey says now they get enough money to feed the campers every
day.
"So we started doing that. After they are done with camp they
walk over everyday and these ladies that we hire feed them rice
and beans." Stuckey also talked about hiring local residents in
Haiti to do laundry and cooking for the group of about 20
traveling from Lincoln.
Be sure to keep next year's event in mind. It just might be the
nicest day in March again.
Top
finishers of the 2018 Run for Haiti:
Jackson Johnson 22:50
Zach Switzer 23:32
Derek Hunter 23:53
Andrew Coop 25:07
Spencer Davis 25:15
Dave Stephenson 25:28
Todd Davis 26:53
Kelly McConoha 28:06
Dave Heater 28:11
Ethan Bivin 29:15
[Teena Lowery] |
