Martin Parnell Finish the Race Attitude

Next Events:

3rd Annual Marathon Quest 250 Run / Walk

• Monday December 31st 2012
  

• 9.00pm to 3.00pm
  

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta

Hockey Quest 500 (Quest #6)

• Saturday January 19th 2013

• 8.00am to 5.00pm

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta

Well, where to begin? I guess that would be the morning of Thursday November 1st at Calgary airport. Not a good beginning to our trip, as the icy fog was preventing any aircraft from landing or taking off. Sue and I were told the delay would hopefully be around two hours, but there was no guarantee we'd be going anywhere.  Our plane tried to land, but was diverted to Lethbridge - who'd have known they have an airport.  Sue grabbed two seats in the departure lounge, which was becoming increasingly crowded and I went to join the queue at the departure desk. I needed to find out if I could rebook our connecting flight from Chicago to New York. Mission accomplished, but we didn't know if we'd make it. Eventually, our plane landed, managed to leave again and we headed off. Running from one terminal to the next, we caught the connection from Chicago and headed to the Big Apple.

On arrival, we jumped into a taxi and headed to the Westin on 42nd. Street. The drive was eerie, parts of the city were in total blackness and there were no lights in the tunnels. The driver told us that many parts of the city were still without power, due to the ravages of Hurricane Sandy and we were fortunate to be staying in an area with power. By the time we got to the hotel, it was midnight our time and we were ready for bed.

The next morning, we went to the Right To Play office to meet with Ally, who worked there and Sarah, my Right To Play contact, who'd flown in from Toronto. Ally explained that the area where she had her apartment was without power and she had spent two days and nights on her own with nothing but candles and a wind-up radio, listening to the BBC world service. She went back to work on the Thursday, but found it really scary going home, as 70% of people in her area had left, there was no street lighting; the elevator didn't work in her block. She said it felt like walking into a black cave, not knowing if anyone was there.  She decided to spend that night sleeping on the office floor and was then going to book into a hotel. She'd been going to a nearby gym, just to use the shower. Fortunately, for her, she was flying out to Rwanda on Sunday with RTP. We said goodbye to Ally and, with Sarah, we headed to the race expo.

Quote of the Day

"There is a big wind blowing today and I'm part of it. I want to make a difference and, above all, I want to be a good person from here on out."

Neil Young, "Waging Heavy Peace"

Driving along 42nd street in New York. Two blocks south there was no power all the way to Staten Island.

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Next Events:

3rd Annual Marathon Quest 250 Run / Walk

• Monday December 31st 2012
  

• 9.00pm to 3.00pm
  

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta

Hockey Quest 500 (Quest #6)

• Saturday January 19th 2013

• 8.00am to 5.00pm

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta

On November 2nd, as Sue, Sarah and I headed over to the New York City race expo I was feeling a bit concerned. The papers were very anti the race going ahead. At Friday lunchtime, the Mayor, Michael Bloomberg was insisting that the race would be good for the city, lift people's spirits and must go on. The press were quite vitriolic in their condemnation, referring to the generators laying idle in Central Park, that would be used to heat the media tents, the blankets, food and water stacked up for the runners and the food for the hot meal that they would have the night before the race. Not to mention the police and volunteers who could otherwise be helping the needy.

All this, when people in Staten Island and the Rockaways had no power, no heat, no hot food. Many houses had been completely destroyed by the storm or fires and people were having to gut their houses, because all their belongings had been ruined by water. We were hearing some truly heartbreaking stories. We could perfectly understand why some people were so angry. By 5.30pm, the race had been cancelled. Good call. Obviously, many runners were disappointed; thousands had traveled long distances and spent a lot of time and money investing in the race. But we didn't meet one person who didn't agree it was the right thing to do - but all felt that the Mayor should have made the decision days earlier.

By Saturday, it was clear that we weren't going to be able to get to many places unless we walked. The transit/ subway were limited and the buses and trains that were running were so crowded that the police had to provide crowd control. We met up with Sarah and started making enquiries about ways we could help.

Sunday morning, a group of 170 Irish runners met in the lobby of the hotel, with the intention of going to Central Park and running. Many wore their marathon shirts and race bibs. I decided to join them, as did many others from the hotel. We walked to the park and I headed off on a 10km loop of Central Park. What I encountered was something I'll never forget. Literally thousands of runners from all nations, some carrying flags or messages, had turned up to run. So too had supporters. The noise at times was deafening. The whole atmosphere was over whelming. I know runners will get it when I talk about the spirit of running together for a cause - and they all had a cause. Afterwards, we went to the South end of the park and donated money and clothing. Back at the hotel I found a website that directed me to a location in Brooklyn where I could help. Monday would be a time for action.

Quote of the Day

"If a man has any greatness in him, it comes to light, not in one flamboyant hour, but in the ledger of his daily work."

Beryl Markham, "West With The Night"

Donations of clothes and money in Central Park, given by runners, for the folks affected by Hurricane Sandy.

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Next Events:

3rd Annual Marathon Quest 250 Run / Walk

• Monday December 31st 2012
  

• 9.00pm to 3.00pm
  

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta

Hockey Quest 500 (Quest #6)

• Saturday January 19th 2013

• 8.00am to 5.00pm

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta

Monday morning, November 5^th, I set off for Saint Jacobi Lutheran Church in Brooklyn. At Grand Central station the subway was jammed so I ran 28 blocks south to Union station and jumped on the R train to 53^rd street. At the Church I entered the chapel and had a 10 minute orientation. The organizers were the "Occupy Sandy" group. These were the same individuals involved in the "Occupy Wall Street" event. They were looking for "Runners" and I spent the day running up and down stairs, taking donated supplies from a basement and loading them into any vehicle that became available. Torches, batteries, baby food, diapers, pet food, clothing - the list was endless and they were constantly getting requests for more. I have to say the organization was excellent but I did wonder where the Red Cross was. By the time I got back to the hotel I was ready for a bath and a hot meal. We turned on the TV  - what a stark contrast - images from the devastation in some areas of the city and the hype connected with the Obama/ Romney campaign.

The next day we left for home. It certainly wasn't the trip we'd hoped for, but it will hold memories of a different kind. We saw desperation and heartbreak as well as the kindness and generosity of so many. But we also became all too aware of something else - something which we both found frustrating, shocking and so very disappointing. It's hard to put into words, but maybe I can give you this simple example: On Sunday, we were on our way home and, as it was a bit chilly (we'd donated our gloves and scarves) decided to walk through Bloomingdales. At the Marc Jacobs counter, two young women were trying to decide which of the $600+ purses they should buy - sixteen miles away, less than the distance from here to Calgary, people were trying to decide whether to eat what little they had for supper or save it for breakfast, whether or not to walk the hours it would take to get to a polling station to vote for the leader of one of the richest countries on the planet. Sort of makes you think.

The journey home went off without a hitch and it was good to see the lights of Cochrane, as we dove down Big Hill. We were home and safe. But we'll definitely be thinking of thousands of New Yorkers, who will be without power or a place to live when their Thanksgiving comes around.

Quote of the Day

"Look after yourself, look after one another"

Right To Play motto

Donations are sorted at St. Jacobi Church in Brooklyn. They are then taken to victims of Sandy. This place will be open for another 6 to 8 weeks. Unbelievable.

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Next Events:

3rd Annual Marathon Quest 250 Run / Walk

• Monday December 31st 2012
  

• 9.00pm to 3.00pm
  

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta

Hockey Quest 500 (Quest #6)

• Saturday January 19th 2013

• 8.00am to 5.00pm

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta

It's been just over two weeks since I spent the day at St Jacobi Lutheran Church in Brooklyn. I went to New York to run the marathon and ended up as a "Runner" in a relief centre for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. My job was to collect items from a list, run up stairs and load cars, vans and trucks. The day I was there they ran out of blankets, baby food and first aid kits.

Fourteen days later I was interested to find out what was happening at the church. Were things sorting themselves out? Had the Red Cross and the local authorities taken control of the situation? I started by going to "Occupy Sandy Recovery" webpage. This group has done a brilliant job of stepping up and kicking off the relief effort while the official relief groups bumbled around. Occupy Sandy uses twitter to communicate and these are the tweets from the last 60 minutes:

• SOS: 40 Volunteers needs TONIGHT to help serve Thanksgiving Dinner @ Breezy Point FD. Email
• Rockaway could use 50 volunteers to help every day! Come to Jacobi at 9:30 am and ask for Kei. Bring a car and friends!
• We need toilet paper, paper towels, and instant coffee at 520 Clinton
• Any chance of a prepared food donation to feed Sandy Survivors?
• If anyone can help find a new space for the Jacobi operation--office, distribution and warehouse space--please contact us ASAP
• Needed on Staten Island, "Tools, Hardware, and Outdoor Living" from this Amazon Registry.
• OS Staten Island in serious need of supplies and volunteers! We need tools for demo & clean-up
• The new kitchen in Bay Ridge, at 9818 Fort Hamilton Parkway, is understaffed and in need of volunteers. Please come help if you can!
• IMPORTANT! The Sunset Pk hub appreciates the hospitality of the Jacobi community, but as of Nov. 30, we need a new distro/warehouse space

One thing with twitter is that you have to be clear and concise. It's pretty clear to me that there are still huge issues and people need help.

If you can head down and help out at St Jacobi's then that's great but if you want to donate then you can do it through http://interoccupy.net/occupysandy/ .

These people get things done.

Quote of the Day

"In life you don't have to do a lot, you just have to do something"

Marathon Martin

I took this photo two weeks ago. From the tweets over the last hour. It sounds like not much has changed since then. Unbelievable.

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Next Events:

3rd Annual Marathon Quest 250 Run / Walk

• Monday December 31st 2012
  

• 9.00pm to 3.00pm
  

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta

Hockey Quest 500 (Quest #6)

• Saturday January 19th 2013

• 8.00am to 5.00pm

• Location: Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre, Cochrane, Alberta

As many readers will recall, on Sunday October 7^th a Guinness World Record was set in Cochrane by the Cochrane Rangers, by playing 5-a-side soccer for 42 hours and 1 minute. When Micheal Empric, the Guinness adjudicator made it official, there was lots of celebrating and tending of injuries.

Last Wednesday, at AC's Restaurant, the players got together again, for the first time since the event. Each player received their Guinness World Record certificates. The honour roll included: Daran Fletcher, Cecily Woolrich, Jason Smith, Denean Thorsen, Sherry Grund, Dena Sykes, Dee Dee Cook, Matt Wiacek, Andy Harris, David Savage, Rochelle Nydokus, Caitlin Smid, Maria Perkovic, Kira Alston, Ellen Anderson Penno and myself.

To pull off an event like this takes a lot of help from many quarters and a number of other people were also recognized for their contribution. They included Robin Mitchell, General Manager of Spray Lakes Family Sports Centre; Russ Tripp, President of TriOil , title sponsor; Lucy Lovelocks, event organiser from the Cochrane rangers and many incredible volunteers. In fact, Micheal Empric, from Guinness, said that it was one of the best organised attempts he had ever seen.

We exceeded our target of raising $25,000 for Right To Play. Including the "Ton of Pennies" initiative which raised $6,100, the total amounted to over $35,000. Normally this would give 700 children a Right To Play program for one year but with the matching funds from RTP Partners this number jumps to 2,800. Unbelievable.

So the only question now is what's better than having one Guinness World Record in Cochrane? It has to be two and it just so happens that in mid January 2013 this could become a reality.

The event is called "Hockey Quest 500". On Saturday January 19th, 2013, at Spray Lakes Arena, an attempt will be made to set the Guinness World Record for the most people to participate in an exhibition game of hockey. It will be in association with the Kimmett Cup hockey tournament and we need your help to reach our goal of 500 participants in the game and raise $100,000 for Right To Play.

Each player will commit to playing a ten minute time slot, and to raise funds in support of Right To Play. If you successfully raise $100, we will reimburse your $50 entry fee. You will also receive a Kimmett Cup / Hockey Quest jersey for your participation.

My dream is to have Cochrane boys and girls participate and become Guinness World Record holders. What could be better than the chance to have a Guinness World Record certificate handing it on their bedroom wall.

If you're interested in playing go to www.lindsaykimmett.org , click on Kimmett Cup 5 / Hockey Quest 500 logo and follow the prompts to sign up as an individual player.

We look forward to seeing you on the ice.

Quote of the Day

"Take your dream and run with it"

Marathon Martin

Players and organisers receiving their Guinness World Record certificates for TriOil Soccer Quest 42.

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