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Kids’ marathon concluded with a soggy walk from school to park

Over 600 people walked the final kilometre in drizzling rain last Thursday, as École Steffie Woima School wrapped up its marathon.

Over 600 people walked the final kilometre in drizzling rain last Thursday, as École Steffie Woima School wrapped up its marathon.

About 527 people registered for the marathon and along with parents and grandparents, walked from the school to Centennial Park to conclude the program which started in early March.

Students were encouraged to incorporate walking as part of their daily physical activity. They had to complete 41 kilometres by the second week in June.

Participating students, after paying a registration fee of $5 ($15 for anyone else), were given a pedometer and a log sheet.

The marathon was initiated last year by school council chair Jennifer Bahler, who heard about it while attending a school council conference. There she met people from Cardston, which has Canada’s largest kids’ marathon with about 2,000 participants. She organized sponsors to help lower the registration price for students and provide funds for t-shirts and medals.

It was decided the marathon would not be a fundraiser. Organizers did not want to distract students from the goal of increasing daily activity with their families. “Lots of people said we could make lots of money, but we didn’t want that to be our focus,” said Bahler last year.

Those who participated in the marathon received t-shirts and were presented with medals by Mayor Susan Samson and other sponsors when they reached Centennial Park. Everyone else who completed the final kilometre received a participant ribbon.

A bike donated by Sylvan Agencies and Cast Away Sports was won by Grade 1 student Lachlan Brown in a draw of participants. Others were drawn as winners of a variety of donated items.