STONY BROOK STRIDERS - RUN FOR MOM

    

         In 2006 and 2007 I called several running friends in Steinbach and area in an attempt to organize a running club.   Actually I had originally planned to organize a club of runners that would meet regularly to go running together.  We did go and run a few times on Saturday mornings.  Very little interest was obvious as only 2 or three runners showed up.  I had attempted this running club in view of planning a runner’s club as well as a runner’s Bible study.

      

                                        

Finally about 13 runners showed up for a meeting that I called in 2007 at the Day’s Inn conference room.   From here on, I steered the runner’s interests into planning an annual running event. The club we then called Stony Brook Striders and the running event would be Run for Mom, an event to promote running, namely health and fitness in the community.  I then called regular monthly meetings of those “listed members” of our new club to solely organize a run (5km walk/run and a 10 km run) in Steinbach.  We met about 5-6 times before the run. It was decided that we put on this event on Mother’s Day.  Any surpluses generated from sponsorships and surpluses from runner’s fees would be designated to a local charity.  This Charity is and was decided (on an annual review/decision basis) to be Anna’s House in Steinbach. 

     

 

Our first Run for Mom took place (Start and Finish) at the Eastman Educational Center on Loewen Boulevard on Mother’s Day 2008 with approximately 310 runners.  It was deemed a great success in that it brought out so many runners for the first inaugural race.  It was further considered a success in that fitness and health was promoted as well as $5750.00 given to Anna’s House as a donation from the Stony Brook Striders (Run for Mom 2008) event.

Naturally we got together again for a 2009 Run for Mom event.  2009 was our second successful Run for Mom with about 360 runners and promoting running (fitness and health) in our community.  Anna’s House was again chosen as the recipient for the surplus of the run, ($4000.00).  Sunshine and beautiful weather was enjoyed in 2008 and 2009.

                       Men’s winners of 2009 Run for Mom

              Albert Martens

              Run for Mom

              Race Director

              May 23, 2009