It is an exciting time for Run Seal Beach. The theme for the annual run on Saturday, April 13, will be “Flying to the Finish Line.”
Michele Samuelson, chair and new co-chair of the Fun Run, Sue Dvonch, thought this captured where we are as a community at the 39th annual event.
“It has really allowed kids the opportunity to get more creative with the T-shirt design contest,” Samuelson said.
The contest started 10 years ago and gives the local elementary children a chance to participate more in the Kids Fun Run and to raise early awareness of the event.
This year, 37 entries were received. The children submit their best interpretation of the theme in drawing form and the Race Committee votes on the submissions. The winning drawing will become the T-Shirt design for the kid’s shirts this year.
“All the drawings were wonderful,” Samuelson said. “The committee had a tough job to narrow it down to the top three. It is also so kind of local merchants to continue to give back to the Run. The prizes are really great to encourage the kids to participate.”
Liberty Osti, 8, submitted this year’s winning entry, which is shown here. She is a third-grade student at McGaugh Elementary School in Seal Beach. Osti won a new bike from Main Street Cyclery. This is her second time winning the coveted first place.
Second place went to Megan Schwartz, 9, a fourth-grade student who received a boogie board from Alternative Surf.
McGaugh second-grade student, Sophia Berro, won third place and received a $50 gift certificate from Harbour Surfboards.
Dave Dunton, owner of Main Street Cyclery, said he thinks participating with prizes for the Fun Run logo contest is a perfect way to give back to the community.
“Having been in business for 17 years on Main Street, and having seen a lot of the kids grow up in town, it is important as a family bike shop to be part of the run,” Dunton said. Also, as an Ironman tri-athlete, it is great to see our youth getting out and exercising.”
It is also important to offer special thanks to the Fun Run gold level sponsor, Dendreon Corporation, who has supported the Kids Fun Run and Fun Zone for the last three years. “Without the generous support of Dendreon, it would be much harder to give the size grants we do, and have the resources to develop and support the kids programming during race day,” said Marc Loopesko, Race Director.
Additional information about the race is available at www.RunSealBeach.com. Online registration is open for the 2013 race and registration will likely sell out.
Seen in the photograph above are: McGaugh Principal Bill MacDonald, Seal Beach Kids’ Run T-shirt design winner Liberty Osti, third place winner Sophia Berro, second place winner Megan Schwartz and Sammy the Seal.
