On The Run - August 2022
PROM NIGHT
By Sara Song
I was born and grew up in China. There was no prom and even dating would bring shame when I was in high school. More than thirty years have passed and many things have changed, yet prom was a forever miss in my teenage life. So, when the club announced that the theme of this year’s SCRR annual banquet was “prom”, I was both a little bit curious and anxious.
I heard a lot about the banquet from Cathy during our many runs. She told me how much fun it was and she was so right! Everything about the event, the decorations, food, raffle, slideshow, and awards, made it a special night.
The social committee did an amazing job capturing the essence of a prom. Jackie and Michelle, along with a group of volunteers, turned the second floor of the Woodbridge Community Center into quite a party room with classic black, gold, and white decorations. There was a “Grad 2022” banner and more graduation theme cutouts and posters around the room. The open area was ready to convert into a dance space with a multi-colored disco ball and color-changing light strips along the floor and the sounds of our favorite dance music selected by the club members coming through the speakers. You can’t have a prom without prom pictures, and the selfie-station was a modern touch that encouraged everyone to have fun. To all of you who have been to a real high school prom, I’m sure your experience was on a much bigger scale, but to me, what I experienced during the event was more than I could have imagined. It was obvious that the committee put lots of thoughts into every detail!
The seating area also kept with the color scheme and spirit of the evening. It was perfect for enjoying the great buffet food and the homemade desserts. Unlike any high school prom, but like most SCRR parties, there were plenty of adult beverages to drink. David once again brought his specially crafted home brewed beer which was as good as any commercial brewer. Stacy made a delicious spiked Prom Punch to remind us all of the rebels who might have done the same back in the day. Other members brought wine for the tables and spirits for sharing. All of the good cheer helped fill the air with bubbling conversation. The whole setting just came together to make it a beautiful party.
Members didn’t just bring drinks. They also helped fill tables with raffle prizes. Our community may be small, but our commitment to help and contribute is too big to contain.
Due to Covid, last year’s banquet was outdoors and casual. We had to skip some of the more traditional parts. So, this year was my first time seeing the famous slide show. Amanda and Ben did another fabulous job. They incorporated pictures not just from this year, but all the way back to 2019 to make up for the time we missed. As the photos faded from one to another, cheers and laughter filled the room. I personally enjoyed seeing so many of the members during their “running moment” when Gary or Amy caught them going by during a race. The familiar faces, the very true moment of running, the moment of enduring and persisting, the moment of overcoming yourself, and the moments of victory. I must admit that it was fun seeing myself, too. In keeping with the theme of the night, the slide show also included a bonus– throwback prom pictures! It wasn’t hard to recognize everyone, no matter how old the picture was. That’s proof that running keep us young. Seeing all the pictures made me happy and grateful that we are sharing one piece of life with each other. Decades ago when we were at our own proms in our own corner on the planet, most of us didn’t know each other, but for this prom we were under the same roof enjoying the time together. This is a moment of realization of what Nicole said about “unity”. I do strongly feel that here and now.
The best part of the evening was when the recognition awards were announced. They are a celebration of everyone’s hard work. It’s a playback of our running accomplishments. Every winner is a sign that he or she has been helped by the club. Although not everyone could win, the applaud really belonged to each one of us for getting through another difficult year, putting in all the miles, participating in all the races, and making the club be a place where we want to gather. I was very humbled and thrilled to hear my name announced for the “Ideal Women Runner 2022”. What is really behind my delighted participation is so many of you have helped me, run with me, encouraged me, and laughed with me.
SCRR, thank you for making my first prom so memorable. Many people planned, helped, and contributed hours and days to make this happen and to make the event successful. I am looking forward to have many more “first time” memory together.
CROSS TRAINING
Our social calendar has gotten off to a really fun start. Over 30 of us enjoyed stand up paddleboarding and kayaking in the backbay. It was a beautiful day to be on the water doing something active and different. This may become a regular event.
SAVE THE DATE
There’s more fun ahead. See the calendar below for our 2 upcoming socials, both long-time favorites – Summer Potluck (September) and Wine & Cheese (November). Save the Dates so you don’t miss them.
MEMBER’S ONLY
All members in good standing can join the private South Coast Roadrunners Facebook page. If you haven’t, submit a request and we’ll accept you within 24 hours. South Coast Roadrunners – Members Only | Facebook
BIRTHDAYS
Jeanie Leitner – 8/1
Michael Sellers – 8/2
Liz Toys – 8/3
Ben Coyle – 8/5
Linda Hammond – 8/5
Luke Friedl – 8/8
Bob Morris – 8/12
Sarah Caballero – 8/13
Steve Ireland – 8/13
Mike Gulan – 8/14
Jacklyn Chen – 8/15
Kayla Fogarty – 8/18
Peter Lew III – 8/19
Roger Saltsman – 8/20
Jannay Oiknine – 8/23
Vijaya Saraswathi – 8/24
Shaun Tormey – 8/28
Victor Gambone – 8/28
David Bauers – 8/29
Mike Friedl – 8/31