By Erika Kar
Mazama was alive and bustling this past weekend with the 2018 Sunflower Marathon, Half-Marathon and Relay put on by Methow Trails. The flowers, the weather, the volunteers and the organizers all cooperated to showcase the very best of the valley. And although the North Cascades Highway opening didn’t happen in time, it did not stop the hundreds of people from making the trek to join our very own homegrown runners — 590 entrants in all.
The Goat’s Beard Team came in first place for the full marathon. Mazama represent! This team consisted of Walker Hall, Eli Nielson, Cade Quigley, Sam Naney and Erik Brooks.
Team To Be Decided came in fifth place and was made up of two Mazamans (forgive my proud mom moment, but these just happen to be my sons Sebastian and Bellamy) and three former Mazamans: Ian DeLong, Travis Grialou and Taya DeLong.
Bellamy and Sebastian Kar were part of the winning Sunflower Marathon relay team.
While there were many highlights, performances and special moments, probably the best thing I heard was my kids talking about how sixth-grader Dashe McCabe sprinted up the final hill on the final leg as if it were nothing. It was agreed that she had been appropriately named.
Dashe, who lives in Edelweiss, gets counted as being a Mazaman, as does Walker Hall. However, is Edelweiss really Mazama? Edelweiss has Winthrop addresses, but seems to be more Mazama-like than Winthrop. What do you think? Email me your opinion and maybe we’ll settle this once and for all.
In case you missed the Sunflower Race, the Cascade Endurance 5/10K is coming up on May 26 along with the Mazama World Famous Pancake Breakfast. Volunteers are needed and should email Nancy Kuta at bikeandbook111@gmail.com to participate. In case you are confused, we are not talking about volunteers to participate in eating pancakes. We need workers, people!
Before the Mazama Community Club (MCC) is ready for the summer season, it needs a little sprucing up. Vice-president Claire Bunney is heading up the Spring Clean the Mazama Community Club event on May 19 at 9 a.m. This event, unlike the Pancake Breakfast, is apparently not world famous. Please bring gloves, tools, wheelbarrows, etc. If you have any questions, email Claire at claire.bunney@outlook.com.
Did you know that the Mazama Community Club is available for events? If your event is free and open to the public, there is no rental charge other than a donation for utilities. In the past, there have been parties, meetings and yoga held in the MCC. I’m not sure if there have been any weddings held in this pretty red building, but there certainly should be, as it would be the perfect venue for small, country-style nuptials. And if no one is interested in getting hitched, maybe a few speed-dating events could take place in the MCC. Just a thought.
