It's summer in the city, county, and country, and sizzling hot! I like the hot - but not the humidity. Sometimes, we have to deal with both. It helps that I enjoy wearing tank tops, summer dresses, and lightweight everything over my beloved wool winter sweaters because it is, frankly, freeing.
Enough about the weather; it's time to celebrate others with the good things happening in the world, too. We can all read/listen/watch our fellow people whose lives are filled with extreme heat right now, wildfires, wars, and political mayhem, and that is sad and sometimes even overwhelming. But there are also many people doing great work that honors others!
Take, for example, my friend and former college roommate at Bowling Green State University, Jodie Smith, who single-handedly raised $5,000 from our Cross-Country Alumni to honor our collegiate coach, Sid Sink, with a course marker. A course marker, you ask? Yes, each marker (mile or kilometer) is sponsored by a person or group, with part of the donations supporting the Men's and Women's Cross-Country teams. More markers are still available for an inscription/sponsorship if interested.
The finely crafted marker we selected sits at the Start of the Mel Brodt Cross-Country course (we got to choose where we wanted it on the course). The new dedicated cross-country course is a tribute to long-time Coach Brodt. We figured that the Start would be a good place since so many people gather to watch the beginning of a race there and, perhaps, see the marker honoring our beloved coach! Not only that, but the course has become recognized as a premier venue for cross-country races for all ages!
I'm giving a SHOUT of thanks to all our BGSU lady alumni, along with a big WOOOHOOO, too! I'm also impressed with how strategic our lady alums were as we decided and agreed on the placement of the marker so future generations can see how much we loved and honored a great human, Sid Sink, and coach for decades to come.
Lastly, I'd like to celebrate Jodie Smith for sticking with the initial phases of what the university offered in the CC course markers. Jodie corresponded with them since late February/early March before she shared more details of the bigger plan to stir the alums to action (donations). Last weekend (July 13, 2024) was the official unveiling of the markers around the course. I'm grateful that Jodie and teammate Laura Murphy were on hand for the ceremony to represent the Women's XC Teams from 1978 to 1989!
Well done, my esteemed friends, running sisters, and colleagues.
bSoleille!
Terri
Photo credit: Jodie Smith
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