‘Laps for Literacy’ draws 25 despite cold

While it wasn’t looking like many people would show up for it just days before, organizers were encouraged by the turnout at the Valley Adult Learning Association’s inaugural “Laps for Literacy” fundraiser Saturday morning at Pither’s Point.
“We ended up with 25 people. It turned out be successful,” VALA literacy instructor Kim Redford said Tuesday.
“It was really good considering the weather. And in a way, the cold made it more fun,” she noted.
“Everybody had fun,” echoed VALA co-ordinator Barb Duguay. “We all ended up at the Harbourage afterwards and had a laugh.”
Duguay noted the fundraiser brought in about $400, which she called “a good start” to helping support the program VALA carries out.
Registration for the run was held at 8:30 a.m. at VanJura Stadium, with the race getting underway at 9:30.
Participants either ran or walked the five-km course, which started at the VanJura Stadium warning track and proceeded to Calder Drive, then left onto Lake Road and up to Highway 11.
Then they turned left and proceeded to the Sorting Gap Marina, where they turned around and followed the riverfront back to the finish line just before the railroad tracks at Pither’s Point.
Jeff Tilbury and his dog “Pesik” came in first, followed by Paul Redford in second and Justin DePodesta in third. They each received a medal for their accomplishments.
Cindy McKinnon and Randi Roth, who came in fourth and fifth, respectively, got a prize for “Team Effort” while Gord McBride and Eloise Cameron tied for “Oldest Participant.”
Jody Hamilton and Delaine McLeod tied for “Last Place Walker” while Marie Sanders won a door prize.
And tying in with the promotion of literacy, volunteers were stationed at various points along the route to hand out letters of the alphabet.
Participants took these letters and then tried to spell out words to win a prize.
Myrna Kranyk-Cooper and Cindy McKinnon tied for spelling the longest word with the letters they collected along the way—“Nugget” and “Search.”
Non-medal prizes included shirts, pens, pins, and magnets.
Redford noted that muffins provided for the hungry runners and walkers were donated by the ladies at Flinders Place, while sponsors and volunteers, including Romeo Duguay, Hugh McKinnon, Nancy Swiston, Bridget Jorgenson, Nicky Horn and Chantelle Jodoin, helped make the event possible.
Duguay noted VALA will continue to organize fundraisers in the coming months, with a car rally/scavenger hunt slated for Nov. 13, in which teams will drive around town to see who can complete various objectives first.
And then on Feb. 12, there will be a variety show at the Townshend Theatre, including the debut of the “VALA Follies.”
Saturday’s was intended to raise both funds for—and awareness of—the local non-profit organization.
VALA, which offers a workplace mentoring program, as well as adult math, computer, and literacy training, is facing increased rent costs, coupled with a need for new learning supplies and upgraded computers.