You could certainly tell that fall has arrived by the cool, damp weather but that did not seem to matter to the mob of elementary school students, teachers and parents gathered at Riverside Park for the annual elementary school cross-country run.
It had rained, so the laid out courses had some moisture but that only made things a little more interesting. The 200 or so participants proudly pranced around the area in their school colours as they warmed up prior to traipsing around the course.
With these races having been conducted over the course of many years now, they are eagerly expected by many youngsters who want to demonstrate their running abilities. Merely trotting around a track or sprinting in a straight line might show some very specific abilities but dealing with the realities of a cross-country circuit is different.
The joy that can be seen on so many young faces and the determination to do their best goes a long way in telling the uninitiated something about the strength of the youth of our community and the support they receive from so many helpful adults such as race director Carlene Dingwall.
All levels of ability, all shapes and sizes, all comers; All who wish to take part are accepted and encouraged. It’s just one more element in what it takes to build the special community so many others would love to have but just don’t quite get to.
