Sunday’s column: The amazing growth of the Drumstick Dash
Participants wait a the starting line for the 2011 Drumstick Dash. Last year more than 14,000 people raced in the Thanksgiving Day fundraiser. | JEANNA DUERSCHERL | The Roanoke Times
Thursday morning will mark the seventh Drumstick Dash, which began in 2006 as a modest Thanksgiving Day fundraiser for Roanoke’s Rescue Mission.
Based on years past, it’s wholly justifiable to expect some surprises there. Because surprise has been a hallmark of this race.
A while back, there was a runner who had no legs. The guy wore prosthetics. I wanted to talk to him about this amazing feat, but nobody can remember his name.
In 2010, the Drumstick Dash was a venue for a well-plotted marriage proposal by David Whitt, who was running it with his then-girlfriend, Sarah Lawrence.
Unknown to her, Whitt had conspired with her parents and his to help him pop the question. As the couple rounded a corner during the 5K run, they came across their grinning dads holding a banner that said, “Sarah, will you marry me?”
The result was a delay in their race. “He totally ruined my time,” Sarah said. But who cares? She accepted and today the Whitts are hitched.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of all, however, is the amazing growth of the Drumstick Dash since its inception.
That first year, 1,700 runners competed. For the next two years, that number more than doubled each year. This year they are expecting a whopping 16,500, almost 10 times the inaugural race.
Perhaps no single person is more responsible for that amazing growth than Kevin Spencer, a humble Roanoke schoolteacher who’s pretty difficult to embarrass. He used to be a fat guy but he is no longer. He got slim while walking, then running while listening to Bible verses on a Walkman.
READ THE REST OF THIS COLUMN HERE
City schoolteacher Kevin Spencer, who has tirelessly promoted the annual Drumstick Dash since the fundraiser's 2006 inception.
November 18, 2012 - 6:00 AM
Dan,
How about we do a “faux” Drumstick Dash on this blog. I’ll match the first 7 of my fellow blogger who commit $15 each. If my math is correct should add up to $105 from me if my challenge is accepted. Let me know.
Ron, we need to assume that Suzie won’t count. She never pays up in challenges of this nature.
I will commit 15 dollars to the Rescue Mission. How is this going to be handled, so you’ll know who comes through on their committment?
I suggest that we send our checks to Dan Casey at the Roanoke Times and he can deliver them to the Rescue Mission. Do we make our checks payable to the Roanoke Rescue Mission?
Please don’t send them to me. Please send them to the Rescue Mission, made out to them.
402 4th Street Southeast Roanoke, VA 24013
OK fellow bloggers, so far we have one blogger who has stepped up to my challenge. Just say in a post on this thread that you will contribute at least $15 to the Rescue Mission & I will match the first 7. I’m so confident that you will step up, I am going to write my check this afternoon and put it in the mail.
Ron
Count on $15 bucks from me.
The Rescue Mission is a great organization.
Ron, we have already made our donation for ourselves and 2 other family members registering for the “Drumstick DashAway” since we are not able to make it to Roanoke on Thursday. We will however be running Thursday morning at an alternate location in show of our support.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone and God Bless.
The same to you, Big Momma.
Ron, my check is the mailbox.
Make that, my check is in the mailbox.