22 Marathon Club Members (since 1/29/15)
Congratulations on becoming one of the newest families to join the club!
Your child (or children) recently crossed the marathon finish line (and so did you!). Surely you have seen the medal and all the tokens that lead up this moment by now. What you might not have heard are all the details behind their marathon medal (if it's anything like life at our houses) and all the laps logged on the track (104 to be exact!). Their name was announced during Friday announcements where they were asked to come to the office to receive their marathon medal, get their picture taken, and celebrate with fellow marathoners. Marathon photos are posted on the Flyers Bulletin Board outside the gym doors and shown during school assemblies.
A goal like that does not happen without a lot of hard work and dedication from a community.
Yes, it was your child (or children) who ran or walked every one of those miles over the course of many weeks and months as verified by their mileage card marked off by a Flyer volunteer, and seen by you as they were maybe slightly more tired on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. It certainly takes a village.
The kids are so fun to watch as they:
- set and reach their goals (1-10 laps each run club or 1-2 miles each week),
- encourage their friends and siblings to join them on the track,
- wait for their buddies as they stop to get their tally marks for each lap,
- help tie friends shoe laces (older or younger),
- show friends and family their toe tokens as they earn them,
- eagerly roll the cart and speaker out on to the track,
- arrive on Thursday mornings with so much enthusiasm it is bursting (out on the track),
- request their favorite songs to the Flyers playlist, and
- cheer for the latest marathon club member as they cross the finish line.
We see parents and volunteers support runners and walkers as they:
- remind kids to wear comfortable shoes and clothing on Tuesdays and Thursdays,
- provide nutrient-dense food, energy-rich snacks and buckets of water,
- bring kids to school early on Thursdays and then smile while glancing back across their shoulder as their child runs off (literally!),
- stop at the track during their lunch hour to join the fun,
- high five the kids on their next lap and then mark it on their card,
- sweep the track of water, mud, snow, ice and debris,
- roll up the extension cord and speakers,
- encourage flyers to keep working towards their goals (even on the cold, windy days),
- tie shoe laces, hold coats, attach tokens to chains, and so much more!
We see the Findley teachers and staff enable the program's continuation as they:
- allow extra time for a drink of water on Tuesdays after lunch recess,
- help monitor the track for accidents and bruises,
- find and return lost tokens,
- support class marathoners when their names are announced during Friday announcements,
- deliver lessons on healthy choices with food and exercise,
- join their class on the track and under cover on sunny and rainy skies, and
- see students in class focus on the task at hand knowing they ran the wiggles out on the track.
This is our moment to give thanks for all that. It matters! And it was worth the effort, every step of it!
Happy Running!
Nicole and Tami
Findley Flyers
