Page 20 - OCT 2024

Page 20
Community
By Donna rhoDes
BRISTOL – A near-record crowd registered for the annual Run Your Buns off Run/Walk on August 31st, where people from 12 states came out in support of the Newfound Area Charitable Fund’s mission to help the com- munity.
While more than 62 percent of the participants this year came from New Hampshire, they were joined by people from eleven other states, including a few from as far away as Florida, Virginia, Alabama, Illinois, and Wyoming.
The 4.2-mile race was the brainchild of friends Audrey Goudie and Garlyn Manganiello 15 years ago. Manganiello owns Basics Ingredients on the Bristol/ Bridgewater town line, and the pair met through Goudie’s boot camp exercise sessions several years ago. Together, they discov- ered that 4.2 miles of exercise was enough to burn off the calories in one of the delicious sticky buns Manganiello bakes for her shop. Thus, a 4.2-mile run/walk to ben- efit both people’s health and the local community was born!
NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM
October 2024
Run Your Buns Off 2024
Garlyn Manganiello and Audrey Goudie of the Newfound Area Charitable Fund were pleased to welcome a near-record crowd to this year’s Run Your Buns Off Run/Walk on Labor Day weekend, which once again raised money for the New Hampshire Food Bank. Photo by Donna Rhodes
pantry truck here in February each year now to help fresh bring food to people in the Newfound Region, and we really love being able to do that,” Goudie said.
Since its start in 2010, Run Your Buns Off has become a Labor Day Weekend tradition for many. This year, 351 people reg- istered for the event, some com- ing with the intent of getting in a good competitive run, while some had personal goals set for them- selves. Still, others were just out for exercise and fun, as evidenced by some fancy costumes, baby strollers, young joggers, and a few four-legged pets that were excited for the outing.
While for most, it was also about supporting the New Hampshire Food Bank, “brag- ging rights” were in play for the more serious runners. This year, 35-year-old NRHS alumnus Matt Chorney came out on top with a time of 22:14. Next across the fin- ish line was Colton Piper, age 30, with a time of 26:48, and 56-year- old Steven Nelson came in just a couple minutes later at 28:53.
The top three spots for the
women were taken by 25-year-old Zoe Kaplan, who was just behind the men with her time of 30:37. Allison Dorval, age 49, was less than a minute later, at 31:26, and 42-year-old Amy Kerner followed closely with her time of 31:39.
Whether running or walking, all of the participants were win- ners when they each received a sticky bun at the finish.
Other ways to be a winner that day were through raffles filled with prizes from generous local sponsors. Among the larger of these, this year was a cornhole set colorfully painted to celebrate the 15th year of the race with fun facts about the calories burned to offset those in a sticky bun and the mission of the Newfound Area Charitable Fund. Other prizes in- cluded a new grill, a set of beach chairs, an inflatable paddleboard, and a large Yeti cooler.
The Newfound Area Charita- ble Fund would like to thank ev- eryone who sponsored this year’s race and everyone who came out to join them as they “ran their buns off” for a worthy cause.
Together, the pair helped form the nonprofit group Newfound Area Charitable Fund, and over the years, it has raised thousands of dollars for other local non- profit organizations. Those have included everything from local scholarship funds, school athletics,
and recreational programs to en- vironmental groups, bicycle trails, and much more. Over the past few years, though, they decided to make the New Hampshire Food Bank focus.
“We’ve been hosting the New Hampshire Food Bank’s mobile
Thank You, Sponsors!
Bristol Hannaford, Cultura Cruisers, Cynthia Rooke, Franklin Savings Bank, Kathy Burke, Mid-State Health Center, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Mike’s Music, MRS, Newfound Grocery, Newfound Insurance Agency, Newfound Law, Senator Dan Innis, Speare Memorial Hospital, The Kirby Family, and Timberloch Lodge
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THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS AND PARTICIPANTS, WE WILL PROVIDE:
13,000+ TO 1100+ IN 300+ POUNDS OF FOOD INDIVIDUALS LOCAL HOUSEHOLDS
WWW.RUNYOURBUNSOFFNH.COM