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Here's a letter we've received from the organizer of the Allyson's Journey 5K event. We thought we'd share it in its entirety below.

We had a post earlier today with a photo gallery and complete race results from Saturday's event. (That's the scene at the snack tent at left.)

Dear Editor:

Botetourt View has helped promote Allyson’s Journey and I wanted to give you a big thank you for that. Also, I have a list of people that really need to be recognized for their hard work. Allyson is the first. She is truly an amazing little girl whose smile will melt your heart. I would like to thank God for giving us the beautiful day and for him to allow the race to be as successful as it was and that there weren’t any major injuries. I would like to thank Sandy Meyer who has taught me personally how to be a better person. I only wish I could be half as giving and kind as she is. Thank you New Hope Baptist Church for refreshments and money donations. Thank you Youth group for coming out and serving the refreshments, along with Eric Lusk and Sandy Meyer. Thank you Melissa Hepler for taking care of the t-shirt order and putting up with my 100 emails and phone calls regarding the shirts. Eric Lusk and Melissa Hepler sang beautifully. I don’t think we had one dry eye. Please thank the following companies for their donations: Blue Collar Joes: I have never seen and tasted a better donut. Layman Orchards for their apple donation. Hollywoods for their gift certificates and dessert tray. Fed-Ex Kinko’s for giving us a very generous price on entry forms. Hufford Insurance for their kind donation. A Cleaner World for their safetly pins. 84 Lumber for their raffle, donations, and time. Striders of Roanoke for their advice. Runners World for the free bibs. Chad Young for his beautiful oil paintings. Fleet Feet for their generous gift certificate. Staples for posters and markers. Summit Helicopter for their donation. Gander Mtn. for their bag fillers. Roanoke Swim Club for their season pass for the McClellans for next season. Hollins Barber Shop for their donation. Walmart for their posters. Q-99 for movie passes, getaway trip, and putting us on their web-site. LB girls b-ball team for directing parking. Dicks Sporting goods for all their gift certificates totaling $170. Elizabeth Arden for such nice gift packages. Yovoso of LB for helping with directing the parking. To our sponsors thank you for your support : 84 Lumber, Botetourt Park and Rec, CarpetLand, Cycle Systems, Bank of Botetourt (Cari Humphries), Action Personnel, Carilion, Clayton Homes, Ayers Financial. Thank you Danielle and Curves members for helping so much with gift certificates and for runners/walkers and for being a part of the big day. Thank you committee. Monica Doss, Jessica and Sandy Meyer, Sherry Peeters and Stephanie Reavis thank you for the afternoons stuffing bags. Keith Spencer thanks for helping with pick ups, getting the word out, and for helping with the finish line Friday night. Pete Peters, Chad, and Bob Martin: Thank you for all the set-up you did for us and equipment we were able to borrow such as tables, tents, water station jugs, entry form copies, stop watches, etc. Thank you for the gator and the coarse markings. Jim Farmer thanks for opening up your church for the Poster party and for showing up to the back to school sign ups. Sharon Farmer thank you for running the Silent Auction, Amanda and Ashley also. Your family is so giving and I thank you for that. Shawna, Stephanie, and , Rebecca, and Sherry thank you for doing the registration table and then also the finish Line. Roxie and Roc Henderson, Doug Polumbo, Brandon Nicely, John Schaffer and Chris McClellan..we pulled it off . Thanks for helping on the finish line. Thank goodness it didn’t go like the practice night when the herd of our children ran through.  Heather Plunkett thank you for helping get items we needed for raffle and other race items we needed. Karen , Jimmy, and Krista Wickham, thank you for running the raffle and being so cooperative to do anything at the last minute. Theresa Stump, Chasity Schaffer, Sherry Peeters, Stephanie Reavis , Karen Beckner , Paul Franklin thank you on the finish line. Thank you Travis Wells for MC the event. You did a wonderful job. Thank you EMT David Bush for being on site. Thank you Andrea Dudley and Rick Morris for being timers. Thank you water girls: Tanner Price, Julia Dehart, Peyton Plunkett, Courtland Plunkett, Ashley Stump, Michelle Kembel, Brittany Lyle. Emily McClellan, Halie Catron, Madison Lantz, Haley Dunn. Thank you Ashley Lyle and Brittany Lyle for helping in many ways I cannot even begin to write. You both are blessing and wonderful daughters and I love you both so much. Thank you Rick , my husband, for helping set up and watching our 1 year old daughter Skylar for two days straight, for keeping me motivated and for the encouragement. Please forgive me if I left someone off the list. Please know you were appreciated. Look at what “OUR” community can do.

We all love you Allyson,
Sallie Morris