The Goleta Education Foundation Kids Fun Run gets started with a bang!
Spectacular finish!
OK, Class, listen up, please…
Today’s lesson is about life… about making a positive difference in the world… giving back to others… and having fun along the way.
The focus is on The Three C’s:
Caring…Commitment…Community.
Your assignment: The Annual Goleta Education Foundation 4-Miler & Kids Fun Run.
And off they went…nearly 300 of them!
BIG kids (as in adults). Little kids. All shapes and sizes. Some even brought their four-legged furry friends.
So along with Cooper, my most trusted “TA” (Teaching Assistant), we strategically positioned ourselves by the first footbridge to document our findings in this field study.
Familiar faces make up the early leaders.
On the 4-Miler, the camera quickly caught the serious frontrunners zipping by. And the many others following, literally, in their footsteps. The ones with their headsets playing music. Some who smiled and waved. A few who amazingly pushed strollers. And a handful who walked.
Definitely “quick studies” here …
And it was a day of near-perfect conditions – the sun shone bright in the cool autumn air along the course… throughout the quiet neighborhoods with the nicely mowed lawns … around Lake Los Carneros, Goleta’s Hidden Jewel…. and back to the Fairview District Offices.
Santa Barbara International Marathon director Rusty Snow won the 4-mile run in 21 minutes and 25 seconds.
We soon shifted to The Finish Line to officially record that one special moment of exaltation – the “I DID IT” reaction (at least, how it’s known in the small intellectual circles in which this sports journalist travels).
But it was the Kids’ Fun Run that put an exclamation mark on today’s assignment! True passion revealed amongst the many smiles (and some tears) of kids doing what they do best – just being kids.
And helping themselves, actually…
“The GEF (Goleta Education Foundation) is an amazing supporter of music and physical education in Goleta schools. We couldn’t provide as many services for our students without the financial resources we receive from this event,” said Valerie Kushnerov, Goleta School Board of Education representative who is also running … for re-election.
And before we knew it, the kids came flying in!
Nancy Knight, right, is the principal of Kellogg Elementary and president of the Goleta Education Foundation.
Swoosh!
First Connor – then followed by some of the most spectacular finishes ever recorded!
“Not only does this venue raise critical funding money for our wonderful programs – it is the only event that brings all the Goleta schools and families together,” said Nancy Knight, GEF President & Kellogg Elementary School Principal.
And that it did!
Yes, today was about The Three C’s – a good life lesson in Goleta, The Good Land….
"Team Arshadi" Lesson - Family that runs together - has fun together.
Little Nick is already a seasoned runner.
Mike Kelley Lends a helping hand
Dr. Julie Chacko & Lise Ann Deinhard after race.
Love this article – nice to see the positive spirit in our community – as a fellow runner – I wish I had been there! Keep up the great work, Randy and Presidio Sports!
Awesome article!!! Always great to read one of Randy’s write ups!!!
Thanks for all of the community support for GEF!