Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The fourth annual Herbie’s Hometown Loop held on Saturday, August 14 at the Bellefonte Area Middle School turned out to be a great success!  Approximately 200 runners and 25 bikers came out in support of our family to remember Jeremy, race, ride and raise money for a track for the Bellefonte community, and also to fund an annual scholarship awarded to a Bellefonte Area High School senior each spring.  The weather was pleasant as I recall ─ not too hot, certainly not too cool, with just a touch of humidity. 

The “Are You Hungry String Band” played an assortment of music while runners and bikers finished both events.  Thank you to Sara E. Smith, her brother Jared, Joe, and “the band” for donating your time!   

A ton of prizes were given out to lucky participants including two jackets, a half dozen water bottles and an equal quantity of $60 tune-ups compliments of Freeze Thaw Cycles (our bike race sponsor), a mountain bike donated by The Bicycle Shop, a $100 gift certificate to The Queen Anne Bed and Breakfast located in Victorian Bellefonte, 32 trees (each memorializing one of the 2007 April 16 Virginia Tech victims), a tea basket from Webster’s Bookstore Cafe, two hand-made afghans woven by Pat Mott (one designed with Virginia Tech colors, the other with Penn State colors), a bird house from Tractor Supply, a $50 gift card to Tractor Supply, a gift card to Triangle in Bellefonte, a $40 gift card to Wegman’s, numerous coupons for free Burger King Whoppers and buy one get one at McDonald's, sunglasses from Dr. Candace Covey, a basket from Woodring’s, and I could continue on!!!  Thank you to all of our very generous race sponsors. 

Irving’s Bagels in State College donated bagels, Perkins donated mini-muffins, Pizza Mia and Home Delivery provided us with pizzas, Lykens donated hoagies, Pizza Hut and Your Building Center donated ice, wings came from Bonfatto’s...there were cookies from Eat n’ Park and fruit compliments of Weis markets, and Harner’s Farms. 

No major accidents occurred.  Other than for a few unexpected electrical problems and minor miscommunications that are always a given, the day progressed rather smoothly. 

It’s hard to believe that this is the fourth year we’ve put on this event.  It seems like just yesterday we were throwing around ideas in the kitchen of my parent’s house about what kind of event to put on in an attempt to escape from the reality of Jeremy’s murder.  And it still seems like not far ago in the distant past that we were sitting in the seats of the Bellefonte Area Middle School brainstorming ideas around the chalkboard.  In retrospect it might have appeared to an outsider as if we were planning a wedding, or even a shower, in those heated quarters, but really we were just trying to give Jeremy “his day”.    

Four years later, all of those people who helped us begin this event: they’re still there ─ on race day, before the race helping us to prepare for the event, and long after the stage built by my Dad and Joe (for the band) is taken down.  Words will never be enough to thank all of you for your kindness, generosity, commitment, and compassion. 

Once again, Delgrosso’s donated enough pasta, sauce, and meatballs to feed 250 people at our pre-race pasta dinner held at St. John’s Catholic School Cafeteria in Bellefonte on Friday, August 13.  Along with this, they donated aprons for our chefs, and table settings for our guests.  My Dad and I drove up to Tipton to pick up the supplies Friday morning.  Upon our arrival we had the pleasure of meeting with Joey Delgrosso, one of the owners of this family company.  I’ve got to say, I’ve never met a more genuine, honest, down to earth, hard working, good guy.  Joey shared an assortment of stories with me and my Dad.  He comes from a long line of people who truly enjoy helping others out…who yearn to share with those less fortunate than themselves, who live for bringing happiness to another’s eyes.  Back some 40 years ago, Joey’s Dad used to bring a truck full of fruit to a local orphanage on Christmas morning.  Joey accompanied.  And on Easter, he’d haul in a truck filled to the brim with candy and chocolates.  Once a year, Mr. Delgrosso would open up the family’s amusement park to these youngsters allowing them to ride all the rides they so desired, eat all the food they could fill their bellies with, run around with full rein of the park, absolutely free of charge to them and their caregivers.  So, it doesn’t surprise me one bit that Joey donates as much as he does to the community, including to our family for Jeremy’s race.  And it certainly doesn’t surprise me that Joey’s children want to do something more in this life than just work for the weekend.  I learned through our discussion that his son has decided to join the Peace Corps.  Truly, this is an exceptional family.  I’m honored to have shared a few minutes with Joey Delgrosso that pleasant Friday the thirteenthJ   

Switching gears a little…Baker and Taylor (a book wholesaler) has agreed to take on Leaving Virginia.  This allows Barnes and Noble to begin stocking my title!  Very exciting news if you ask me. 

After Jeremy’s race, I spoke with a number of people who have finished my book, many who are halfway through, and a ton just beginning the journey “across”.  I was taken aback by the words spoken by these individuals.  Of course, not everyone will appreciate the book, but it was nice to hear of people gaining something from my words and experience.  These conversations make publishing Leaving Virginia seem completely worthwhile.  Sharing my experience, with the hope of helping another through a rough time, truly is what this is all about.

So, Stephanie (my younger sister) won the woman’s 4 mile race that Saturday morning, and her boyfriend won the men’s event.  I had to laugh.  Steph ought to be proud…she won her brother’s race.  Congrats to both Sam and Steph. 

To all our race volunteers: Nancy and Dick Dixon, Wanda Adams, the Forstmeier family, and all the cross country “kids”, Cathy Manchester, Alyssa Gaebel, Amanda and Elda Mulfinger, Mrs. Mason and her son Mike, Kim Gasper (our race director), Greg Fredericks, Dave (our race timer), Mike Casper (our photographer), the Knights of Columbus, the Meier family, the Trusedales, and to all those who donated their time….THANK YOU!!!!

Now for some laughs…     

Ultra marathon training is in full bloom for me.  I’m trying my best to whip myself into shape by Oct. 16, 2010…that’s the big day.  Hopefully, I’ll be prepared to “shuffle” 50 miles through Rothrock State Forest by then.  Time will tellJ  I’ve recruited Brad to join forces with me.  He might well be more into this training regimen than I am…crazy as that might sound!

And all of this ultra training just might be getting the best of me.  That or all the chaos encompassing my mind between wedding planning, just thinking about school beginning again for the year, Jeremy’s race, and god only knows what else!  You see, yesterday evening I was preparing dinner…The turkey burgers were done but I wanted to melt some swiss cheese on top of them.  So, I placed the cheese on top of the burgers, turned the burner down to low, and placed a lid on top of the frying pan.  A few minutes later I took the lid off of the pan and found my oven mitt (hot pad) inside the frying pan on top of the burgers!  Now, how in the world did I end up putting my oven mitt inside of the frying pan???  I haven’t even the slightest idea.  What I do know is that a second or so later I discovered I’d left my cup of water sit filling up at the refrigerator a touch too long.  I have this routine where I fill my glass up with ice and then position it at the refrigerator’s water station so that it fills up with water on its own.  I haven’t forgotten about it filling up before…but this time the glass overflowed so much that there was water running down the refrigerator door soaking the carpet below.  Where on earth has my mind gone???

Fall is just around the corner!  And I can’t wait.  I hate saying this because I’m not one to wish time to move forward any faster.  Still, I absolutely love the view of the leaves changing colors and falling off the trees, the smell of the air in the mornings and its temperature, the lack of humidity, and the idea that so many great holidays and family gatherings are right around the corner.  And, of course, for all you central Pennsylvania locals: it’s Grange Fair time…time to move all of your earthly possessions into your tent at the fair where you will live for the next 10 or so days, visiting with friends, eating foot-long hotdogs, deep fried Oreo cookies, and sipping on freshly squeezed orangeade!  How I love fall!

To all my 4-H Sheep Club families (and 4-H’ers in general): best of luck to all of you this year at the fair.  Most of all, have fun!!!    

Wishing all of you returning to school this week, and in the upcoming weeks, a pleasant return to your formal education, and warm reunions with friends and colleagues.  May you be safe in your classrooms, on the roads, and in your everyday lives.