The Vermilion and Area Crisis Line held their 7th Annual Walk/Run Event on June 21, at the Vermilion Provincial Park. The Crisis Line has been operating since 1983, and local volunteers continue to raise funds to keep the service in our area. Local Crisis Line members have continued to host the walk in memory of long-time Chairperson of the board Susan Howard who initiated the walk/run. “We started the walk to raise awareness that the Crisis Line is available. If we can only help one person, that would be amazing. For some people all they need is to have a listening ear,” said Chairperson, Amber Howard. The walk welcomed everyone from all fitness levels and provided a 2-kilometer walk, 5-kilometer walk and run as well as a 10-kilometer run. The race offered racers the option to be timed and receive a medal if they came in first, second or third. “This year we had an official timer come from Edmonton to time the race and pass out bibs. By being timed in this event racers who enter into other races and need official times to enter can use their race times from this event to qualify. It was nice this year that we had combined both walking and racing in the event,” said Howard. The walk/run kicked off on staggered times with the 10k run starting at 7 p.m. During the walk/run; attendees were able to utilize the water stations along the route as the temperature was in the high 20’s with a gentle breeze; they also enjoyed refreshments that followed provided by Crisis Line Members. “It was warm for sure; thankfully there was a lot of shade on the trails from the trees. It would have been harder if the sun was on us the whole time,” said Shane Mascarin who ran in the 10k run. In the timed runs, the 5-kilometer medalist in the men’s were: Thomas McAleer - 1st, Dennis Collier - 2nd, and Edwin Sanford - 3rd and the women’s 5-kilometer medalist were: Nyree McAleer - 1st, Jada Sanford - 2nd, and Kate Gilberg - 3rd. The 10-kilometer run had two men entered with Shane Mascarin completing 1st and Glenn Ferris- 2nd and the top three ladies were, Susanna Pankiw-1st, Shannon Bakos-2nd, and Jennifer Romanchuk-3rd. “I would like to thank everyone who came to the walk/run and to those who donated even though they could not attend the event,” said Howard.
