A Good Day to be Happy

     Today is a special day for the environment and the religous.  For what I would imagine to be the first time Earth Day is celebrating their day with Good Friday.   What are your plans for this special day and Holiday weekend?

     I’m not sure what I’m doing this weekend but I know what I’ll be doing next weekend…  We’ll be getting ready for the 4th Running of the Ham Run Half-Marathon, 5k Fun Run and Little Runts Run on Sunday, May 1st.  It’s a great time to drive up the Gunflint Trail, go for a long or short run and spend time with a wonderful community.

     Each year we’ve had almost as many volunteers as we have had runners.  I’m not sure if that is something to brag about or not but it’s what makes the event so special.  After the Ham Lake Fire in May of 2007 there was a tremendous feeling of community.  Everyone came together to support and help those of us who live on the Gunflint Trail.  They opened their houses and their hearts to people who were displaced and put everything else aside to fight the fire or prepare meals for the fire refugees.

     That sense of community was so overwhelming that we wanted to replicated each and every year.  It was the coming together of all sorts of different people for a common goal.  The goal was to help the members of the community who were in trouble.

     This year we’re really trying to emphasize helping those in our own community by giving back to other non-profits or groups who need money.  Groups can sign up to help at an Aid Station or other part of the event and earn money for their group.  For the first couple of years the Upper Shore Center for Fitness and Athletics was a recipient of the little amount of profit the race made but we felt we should open it up to other groups who may need to fundraise.  

     The Ham Run is a good way to put a positive twist on an unfortunate event.  It gives us the chance to come together as a community and celebrate. So instead of having a ham dinner on Easter Sunday why not come up to the Gunflint Trail and join us for a ham dinner as we remember how lucky we are to live where we do.