February 2018 Volume 40, Issue 2 T R I B U T E T O S H I R L E We lost a very special member of our Strider family when Shirle Kowalisyn passed away the middle of January. Shirle was 87 years old. I first met Shirle when I joined the Striders. Once you met her she would always remember your name. As membership chairperson for many years, she would meet and greet people at races like you were a friend coming to visit at her home. First Race for 2018 Runnin with the Irish 5K March 17 9:00 a.m. Chesterton, Indiana 2018 GOLD CUP DISCOUNT CODE All Gold Cup Series participants receive at least a $1 discount for Gold Cup Series races. The 2018 online and paper discount code is: Striders ATTENTION Deadline for submissions for March 2018 INSTEP Friday, February 9, 2018 Email them to Cecilia M. Bernal Instep Editor instep@calstrider.org I Jacob You must realize she was not even a runner. She became involved in Striders because her husband, Bill, decided to become a runner when he was in his 50s. If Shirle wanted to see Bill on weekends, she decided she might as well get involved too. Since Bill was a charter member of the Striders, Shirle decided to become the official photographer and historian along with Ida Hey. The many scrapbooks you have seen at the Gold Cup banquets are Shirle and Ida s work. While I was president of the Striders, Shirle and Ida were my right AND left hand. If something needed to be done, I knew who to turn to for help. Shirle ran the newsletter to the printer, manned the Gold Cup table, and kept everyone motivated to continue our successful club. After Bill passed, Shirle still came to some races and would walk the course. She often accompanied me to the Gold Cup banquets. When I would call and ask her to come with me, she would always say, I probably won t know anyone. And then when we would get there, so many people would come up to her and say how happy they were to see her. Oh yes, and of course she remembered their names. For years after her mother passed, Shirle took care of her stepdad. She made dinner for him every night and delivered it to him until he passed. She volunteered at a church in Hammond making lunches for the needy. This was my first Gold Cup banquet without her in a long time. What can we learn from Shirle? I think we can learn what true volunteerism is what it means to be out there doing all we can do whether it is for this club, for family, or just people in need. You will be missed Shirle. ~ Jean Tolchinsky, CRS past president
GOLD CUP CORNER Barb Hamner Gold Cup Chairman BARB HAMNER FAREWELL AS GOLD CUP CHAIRMAN It has been my extreme pleasure to serve as Gold Cup Chairman the past four years (2014-2017). I originally "ran" for this position in order to give back to the running community for all its support during my early years of running. I appreciated all the volunteers at water stops, police support at races, race directors who sacrificed their time to put on top notch events, and friends who coached me to achieve my running goals. In many "jobs", we get feedback when something goes wrong. As Gold Cup Chairman this was not the case. The running community and fellow Strider board members have been supportive of my efforts. Positive reinforcement has been my motivating force. I'd like to thank Striders who volunteered to assist in my responsibilities as Chairman. Linda Murkve has managed Sponsored races for the past three years. Marialena Nagel took the position as Race Director Liaison in 2017, and Jessica Halliar began managing the 100 Mile Club in 2017. Barb and Jack Hamner My mentor and running partner, Charlie White, is responsible for helping me achieve personal running goals. My husband, Jack, has held up the fort at home while I've been up at the crack of dawn on weekends attending Gold Cup races. What's next? I'm going to rest!!! After resting, I plan to be active with my three grandchildren who were all born during my time as GC Chairman. I completed my first two triathlons in 2017 and plan to continue with this event in 2018. Finally, you'll see me as a participant in the 2018 Gold Cup Series. Barb and Charlie White Barb with some of the Board members. From left back row: Beth Boyer, Barb Hamner, Lisa Beecher, Rosie Garcia, and Jose Lopez. From left front row: Lisa Moreno, and Carri Ables. 2 Two of my best running/lifelong friends and new GC Chairman. From left: Linda Murkve, new GC Chairman Leeann Wright, Barb Hamner, and Mary Jo Russel.
100 MILE CLUB Individuals Running 2,000+ Miles in 2017 Award Winners Congratulations!!! JORDAN Jordan Chester 2,467 miles Steve Kearney 2,306.27 miles Linda Murkve 2,205.8 miles Shathishkumar Rangaswamy 2,017 miles STEVE SHATHISHKUMAR LINDA 3
RUN THE YEAR CHALLENGE 2,017 Miles in 2017 SPONSORED RACES Individuals Running Three or More Sponsored Races Teams 99 Problems, Running Ain't 1 Sue Glass Deanna Grimes Gimme 5 Erica Banks Edward Caccavale Lisa Moreno-Caccavale Stephanie Mckee Mindi Whittaker Scrambled Legs Barb Hamner Mary Jo Russel Kevin Hitzeman Linda Murkve Charlie White Individuals Steve Kearney Shathishkumar Rangaswamy Marie Borman Ed Caccavale Brian Culbreth Kim Davis Norm Eikman Joyce Einikis Maria Hernandez David Hinshaw Erik Jensen Pete Klaeser Janet Knox Rebekah Martin Clarence Melion Lisa Moreno Caccavale Linda Murkve Marialena Nagel Allan Nalbor Debbie Ogden Jennifer Plys Manuel Rodriguez III Ryan Smith Lisa Szafranski Norm Eikman and Tim Kennedy GOLD CUP 2017 CHAMPS Congratulations!!! Tom Magill Jason Petre 80+ Clydesdale Joyce Einikis and Linda Levenson 4
JUNIOR STRIDER NEWS Beth Boyer, Youth Runner Programs & Scholarships I hope everyone is managing to stay warm and having a good 2018. This is typically a quiet time of the year for the Junior Striders. For those of you who are training and/or competing in indoor track, best of luck and don t overdo it as there is a long season ahead. Both AAU and USATF have indoor competitions, some within a couple hours of NW Indiana. If interested, please look on those associations websites. As 2018 gets underway, I hope you will consider joining the Gold Cup Series. As a Junior Strider (youth 18 and under), you only need to compete in five races. With the various races, you can easily get in five without having to run longer than a 5K and receive a discount to participate as well. All those who enter the Series are invited to the Gold Cup banquet at the end of January at no additional charge, and for those who complete five GC races (for 18 and under) you receive a trophy at the banquet. I want to make sure our high school seniors are starting to think about applying for the 2018 Jim Cox Memorial Scholarship. If you are a current Strider member and have been involved with the Junior Striders, you should consider applying. Criteria includes: you and your family s time volunteering with the Junior Striders and Striders in general as well as your participation in the Gold Cup Series. It is an online application and can be found under the Jim Cox Memorial Award on the Strider website. The deadline for submission is April 1, 2018. So please do not wait until the last minute. Further details and criteria are also on our website. NEWBIE OF THE MONTH Remember our Newbie of the Month, Lauren Erickson? Here s an update from her: Greetings people!!! It is me again, the newbie Lauren, who was highlighted back in the spring. Well, these crazy folks wanted an update. So here we go... I have fully chugged the running Kool-Aid. Since you last heard from me, I trained for my first half marathon with Extra Mile. I participated in the Hub City Half, which went right by my parents house twice! After working at the Strider s Water Stop Mile 5, I realized I needed the Chicago Marathon in my life. I am running for VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. In my first year with the Striders, I became the Athena champ and made many wonderful friendships. Can t wait to see where this all takes me. My picture is from the Freedom Run race on December 30 in Peoria, Arizona, where I won my age division. Funny enough a man in a Purdue shirt came up to me and wanted to see if I was a Strider from Indiana because his friend was in Striders. People know you all in Arizona too! 5
NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID GRIFFITH, IN PERMIT NO. 225 B O A R D M E M B E R E M A I L A D D R E S S E S OFFICERS: President Jose F Lopez president@calstrider.org Vice President Lisa Moreno vp@calstrider.org COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Social & Sponsorship Chair Erica Banks social@calstrider.org Public Relations Deanna Grimes pr@calstrider.org Youth Runner Programs & Scholarships Beth Boyer youthprograms@calstrider.org Bylaws & Disabled Runner Fund Marialena Nagel bylaws@calstrider.org Treasurer Dan Koch treasurer@calstrider.org Secretary Lisa Beecher secretary@calstrider.org Gold Cup & Sponsored Race Series Barb Hamner goldcup@calstrider.org Membership & Volunteers Carri Massau-Ables membership@calstrider.org Check out our website: www.calstrider.org Webmaster, Mike Wilson, webmaster@calstrider.org Adult Running Programs Ed Caccavale adultprograms@calstrider.org An RRCA member running club serving Northwest Indiana and Northeast Illinois for over 39 years. 6