Photos by Jessica Rosales
Union City’s eighth annual Pumpkin Patch Dash provided fun and exercize and a chance to earn some community service hours for Logan students.
By eight o’clock Sunday morning, participants from all different age groups arrived at the Cesar Chavez Middle School track where it was held. Pre-registered entrants received t-shirts and a goody bag along with their race number. Others at the event were given free coffee, provided by Paddy’s, and donuts donated by Krispy Kreme Donuts*.
Volunteers with James Logan Interact help little children pick out temporary tattoos.On the field, volunteers from the Union City Leisure Services, James Logan Interact, and others set up tables with free activities, such as face painting, temporary tattoos, coloring pages, beading bracelets and creating paper masks.
High school runners help little kids warm up.As the races for the Pumpkin Patch Dash began, runners warmed-up on the field. As each race came to an end, people lined up at the finish line to cheer on the runners.
” [The] cheering [made me] push harder to finish,” said Christian Morales.
As runners get to the finish line, they show support by cheering others on.The runners were all different ages, 206 total, with many from Logan themselves. Among them were Christian Morales, who won the 10k, Andy An, who won the 5k, Victoria Humphrey, winner and only runner of the high school girls 1600, and Nick Shutes, who won the high school boys 1600 meters.
The Shutes twins finish up their third lap of the 1600 meter run.”I came by at the end of the 3rd lap with my time at 3:50 and I said to myself ‘I need to close this lap in a 70,’ so I started to try to pick it up steadily and just ended up with a 5:13.But it was on a dirt track and I already ran a 5k. At least it was a win,” said Nick Shutes when recounting the story of his 1600 meter run.
The Pumpkin Patch Dash not only brought out students, but adults, parents, and even the Mayor of Union City, Mark Green.
As the last of the races were finished, the Pumpkin Patch Dash ended with awards for the top three runners in each event.
”Overall [the Pumpkin Patch Dash] was good, a lot of the planning was done by Mollica Sokhom,” said Efren Loza, a volunteer.
”It’s a good cause,” said Junior Kim Solis, a James Logan Interact volunteer, “It’s fun and exciting for everyone.”
*Other sponsors include: Hometown Buffet, Tom’s Flower Stop, Fuddruckers, Chevy’s, Annabelle Candy Co, Inc., Mission Valley Track and Field, Coca-Cola, Sign*A*Rama/ Sign*A*Rama Union City, Starbucks, Albertsons, Centro De Services, Wal-Mart, Safeway, American Licorice Co., The Rose Garden Restaurant, and Blommer Chocolate.
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