Greater Derry Track Club

Greater Derry Track Club

THE GREATER DERRY TRACK CLUB IS A NON-PROFIT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION FORMED IN 1978
DEVOTED TO PROMOTE RUNNING RELATED ACTIVITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY

KIDS SUMMER FUN RUNS

Week 1   Week 2   Week 3   Week 4   Week 5   Week 6   Overall Winners                                                                                                             
Food Donation Stats (in pounds)
 
 Week 1   Week 2   Week 3   Week 4   Week 5   Week 6   Week 7  Total
 2005  235 205 200 250 215 365 -  1,470 
 2006  275 265 315 240 190 250 - 1,535
 2007  265 0 275 0 140 225 - 905
 2008  256 0 321 273 0 305 - 1,145
 2009  258 0 353 224 210 228 392 1,665
 2010  445 276 266 265 330 265 280 2,127
Kids Summer Fun Run

The GDTC would like to thank everyone for participating in the 35th edition of the Kids Summer Fun Run Series.
We are proud to offer such a great experience for the youth and also provide much needed food to the less fortunate in our area. We truly enjoy doing this and it is an expression of what our club is all about and that is to promote running at all level and experience.
If you enjoyed the series please feel free to spread the word about the series to all your friends, family or whomever you feel may benefit from what we are trying to accomplish.
Also feel free to send us any comments about your experience, we listen. Send us an email to info@gdtc.org
Any other suggestions will be listened to and if you want to continue your running experience consider joining our club.
Thanks for making our lives richer.

Greater Derry Track Club

Overall Winners
Several records broken at the final of 7 series of the GDTC Kids Summer Fun Run. A thunderstorm passed just prior to the start of the races, but that did not stop the runners to come out enforce! This was the first time that all 7 events were held without any rain cancellations. The total count for food donated this final week was 280 pounds bringing the total amount donated to the St. Thomas Food Bank in Derry to 2127 pounds. Over a ton of food was donated to our community, another first. Thank you goes out to The Derry Recreation Department for the thousands of ribbons donated to the program. Thank you to Pinkerton Academy for the use of the track and bathrooms. Thank you to all the GDTC volunteers that make this program a success every year. Participants finished with a medal and T-Shirt compliments of the GDTC. Nine watermelons were cut up for the participants' enjoyment

(click the picture to access photoshow - 106 pics by Barbara Lemieux)


(click the picture to access photoshow - 81 pics by Mariano Santangelo)

Week 1 - June 24
Despite a thunderstorm watch in effect, the Greater Derry Track Clubs 35th annual Kids Summer Fun Run was held at Pinkerton Academy Track in Derry. With just a sprinkle of rain and under a beautiful rainbow over 367 children came to race, be fit and eat watermelon. Donations of a nonperishable food products are requested each of the 7 week series to help restock the local food banks. The first week 445 pounds of food were taken to St. Thomas’s Food Pantry in Derry.
The children are lead in stretching exercises and given running tips by the Greater Derry Track Club members. The 2-3 year olds run 50 meters, 4-6 year old run 200meters, 7-8 year old run 300meters, 9-10 year old run the 600 meters and the 11-13 year old run the cross country mile. Older than 14 year old run the open mile on the track, bringing out local high school elite runners.
Children receive participation ribbons each week supplied by the Derry Recreation Department. Water and Gatorade and watermelon are supplied each week by the Greater Derry Track Club. Runners who complete the series will receive medals and T-shirts from GDTC.
This week’s winners are:

(click the picture to access photoshow - 79 pics)

Week 2 - July 1st
For the 35th year the Greater Derry Track Club and the Derry Recreation Department sponsor the Kid's Summer Fun Run's held at Pinkerton Academy Track. The proceeds from the annual prestigious 16-mile Boston Prep race through the hills of Derry in January are used to continue the club's mission to promote running in the community. While promoting a healthy lifestyle and collecting nonperishable items for the Derry Soup Kitchen the GDTC volunteers stretch and run children of all ages on Thursday nights from 6:30 -7:30.
Runners participate in a variety of running events including a 50 meter dash (2 & 3 year olds), 200 meter run (4-6 year olds), 300 meter run (7& 8 year olds), 600meter run (9 & 10 year old), cross country mile (11-13 year olds) and the open mile for everyone. The children earn ribbons for participating and ages 9-13 compete for first, second, and third place ribbons. Watermelon, Gatorade, and water are supplied at each event. Five more remaining sessions are planned, weather permitting.
On June 24, 2010 367 children signed up for the runs and 445 lbs. of food was collected. The second event held on July 1, 2010 brought in 165 more entries and 276-lbs.of food was collected. This brings the total runners to 632 and 721lbs of food collected. Way to Go! The winners for 7/1/10 are:

(click the picture to access photoshow - 136 pics) - Courtesy Barbara Lemieux


(click the picture to access photoshow - 57 pics) - Courtesy Mariano Santangelo

Week 3 - July 8th
The Greater Derry Track Club Kids Summer Fun Runs continued on July 8, 2010 with a heat wave in progress, this did not stop 75 more registrants for the series. This brings the total of participants to 607 children. The Pinkerton track was very active with many children running various distances for green participation ribbons supplied by the Derry Recreation Department. Watermelon, Gatorade and water were available for all the runners. The participants bring nonperishable food items to restock the local food kitchen. This week's total is 266 pounds of food. The Kids Summer Fun Run has now donated 987 pounds in just three weeks. The Greater Derry Track club attracts runners from many NH towns and Ma. including Billerica, Haverhill, Bradford, Methuen and Rockville, Md.


(click the picture to access photoshow - 131 pics) Courtesy of Barbara Lemieux


(click the picture to access photoshow - 76 pics) - Courtesy of Mariano Santangelo

Week 4 - July 15th
The Greater Derry Track Club Kids Summer Fun Runs continued on July 15, 2010. The summer sun out for the occasion as well as 98 new registrants for the series. This brings the total of participants to 705 children. The Pinkerton tack was very active with many children running various distances for green participation ribbons supplied by the Derry Recreation Department. Watermelon, Gatorade and water were available for all the runners. The participants bring nonperishable food items to restock the local food kitchen. This week’s total is 265 pounds of food. The Kids Summer Fun Run has now donated 1252 pounds in just four weeks. This was the four events out of seven. The KSFR series continues weekly through August 5. 6:00 pm registration with races starting at 6:30. All are welcome and request only a nonperishable food item each week. This week’s winners are:


(click the picture to access photoshow - 71 pics - Courtesy of Mariano Santangelo)
(click the picture to access photoshow - 114 pics - Courtesy of Barbara Lemieux)
Week 5 - July 22nd
On July 22, 2010 with wonderful running weather another 85 kids signed up to run the Kids Summer Fun Runs. This brings the total up to 790 children enjoying the Thursday evening running races where everyone is a winner. The children donate a non perishable food item that is brought to the local food bank. This week we collected another 330 pounds of food. This brings the total, for the 7 week series, up to 1582 pounds of food with 2 weeks yet to go. St. Thomas's food pantry was very grateful for the last donation to help feed 300 families that request assistance. The KSFR series continues weekly through August 5. 6:00 pm registration with races starting at 6:30. All are welcome and request only a nonperishable food item each week. This week's winners are:


(click the picture to access photoshow - 34 pics)

(click the picture to access photoshow - 110 pics - Courtesy of Barbara Lemieux)
Week 6 - July 29th
The heat did not stop the local runners for coming out to Pinkerton Track for a healthy run and watermelon. 74 more children signed up today bring the total of 864 participants over the 6 weeks of races. 12 watermelons were cut up for the participants. The participants continue to bring in more food for St. Thomas’s food pantry in Derry. This week’s total was 265 pounds of food bring the total up to 1847 pounds so far this summer. We will need a banner week next week to break a ton of food for the season. August 5, 2010 will be the last week of the series and all runners will receive an award for participation.


(click the picture to access photoshow - 93 pics - Courtesy of Mariano Santangelo)

(click the picture to access photoshow - 121 pics - Courtesy of Barbara Lemieux)