Ready, Set, GO!
Northside 5K Run/Walk & Finish Line Festival
Mark your calendar for GO! 2009 on Saturday, May 30th!
Thank you 2008 GO! Sponsors!
Dear PEACE Partners:
Thank you, thank you, thank you for making our second annual GO! Northside 5K Run/Walk and Finish Line Festival a huge success on so many levels! With 402 race finishers—double the number from last year—even our race management company was astounded. They said that what we accomplished through our Northside race simply never happens.
As I ran the route I found myself thinking how this little 5k had nearly the same level of emotional clout as my one and only full marathon I completed in the Twin Cities in 2001. The power of the full marathon was based on individual determination. Saturday's run had everything to do with the determination of people across so many lines of difference to be successful in building our shared civic and social life. Having the children of race route neighbors out giving high fives to all of us runners and walkers will be a potent and happy memory for a long time.
GO! runner Eliot Howard
pastor of Linden Hills UCC
As a runner in the race, the experience was a memorable one... from the beautiful streets of North Minneapolis that made up the course, to the drill and drum team performance that both created and captured the excitement of the run, to the many proud neighbors and volunteers generously cheering us on. Hundreds of people—young and old, black and white, Northsider and broader community neighbor—came together and affirmed that the Northside is not a neighborhood to be feared and avoided, but one to be celebrated and supported. I think on some level we all knew that what we were taking part in was more than just another race. We were running for unity, justice and peace. And it didn't end when the run finished.
At our Finish Line Festival hundreds of people enjoyed BBQ, music, a talent show, mural painting, pony rides, and kid's activities. We also had our second annual Northside softball tournament. Once again the Mayor's team, The Rybats, won the trophy!
Thank you to all the Northside neighbors who hosted this event, all the volunteers that created the GO! Squads, all the runners and walkers, all of the softball teams, all of the organizational sponsors and resource providers, and finally, our race partners—Urban Homeworks. Together we made GO! 2008 fit it's billing as the "friendliest race in the Twin Cities!"
Mark your calendars for GO! 2009 on May 30th. I look forward to seeing you on Northside!
Sondra Samuels
PEACE Foundation President and GO! Runner