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July 1, 2009 - Vol. 103, No. 52
ENJOY A HAPPY & SAFE 4TH OF JULY!!
THE FRANKENMUTH JAYCEES are preparing to opeate the 34th annual Frankenmuth Volkslaufe this weekend, originating in Heritage Park. Above, co-chair Mike Grossi and chairperson Mandy Lloyd show off one of the new color-coded route markers and one of the beer stein trophies, this year featuring the Frankenmuth crest and word Volkslaufe. The participants will also cross the Holzbruecke for the 30th year. (News Photo)
Attention to Details Keeps Volkslaufe a Top Event
Despite being one of the chapter’s oldest fundraisers, the Frankenmuth Jaycees continue to keep their annual Volkslaufe fresh with new ideas and services.
The 34th annual “People’s Race” will take place this weekend, with all activities originating in Heritage Park. The pre-party will take place Friday afternoon, July 3, and the racing action will begin early Saturday morning, July 4.
Chairperson Mandy Lloyd and Co-Chairman Mike Grossi will lead a group of more than 400 volunteers over the two-day event, which expects to draw some 2,500 runners and walkers to five different competitions: the 20K run, 10K run, 5K run, 5K walk and Gemuetlichkeit 2K Fun Run for the youth.
“The Volkslaufe has motivated many to take up the wonderful sport of running and walking. If it has extended just one person’s life, we can have joy with that thought,” Lloyd said.
As of press time, nearly 1,500 persons have pre-registered for the Volkslaufe.
“We have 15 runners from Sarnia, Canada, who are coming here to run the 20K race and train for the Chicago Marathon,” Lloyd stated.
Runners and walkers will observe the following new details for 2009:
* Beer steins as trophies have been a standard award for the Volkslaufe and make the race stand out. As in the past, the 140 steins are shipped directly from Germany, however, this year the steins feature the word “Volkslaufe” and the Frankenmuth city crest.
* The Jaycees have ordered 40-45 new kilometer marker signs as well as start/finish signs. The new signs are color-coded, with red for the 5K, white for the 10K and blue for the 20K.
“We started to put aside money a few years ago for capital improvement so everything is up to snuff. Some of the signs were rusted, faded or missing,” Lloyd said. “One of the things we hear from runners about the Volkslaufe is the fact that we are one of the best marked races around.”
* Scott Hubbard with the assistance of the U.S. Track and Field Association checked over the courses and had them re-certified.
“We made some minor changes to the races and found out a few of the routes were a few steps off,” Lloyd noted.
* For the first time, the runner bibs are also color coded by race, making it easier to see what race the runner or walker is participating in.
* The D-chip timing devices are back for a second year. This year they carry a $13 oil change coupon, courtesy of Schaefer & Bierlein Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Gem. The D stands for disposable. S&B will also supply the pace cars for the races this year.
* The Volkslaufe will also carry a live web feed from a web cam. The camera will be located in the vicinity of Main Street and Covered Bridge Lane, with the feed to be televised inside the Harvey Kern Community Pavilion. It will also be shown on the Volkslaufe’s new and improved web site.
* Pre-registered runners will also receive “tech” shirts that are moisture-wicking.
“They are much more cooling and comfortable for the participants,” Lloyd said.
Following is a run-down of the schedule of events:
July 3
The runner registration will be open 5-10pm in Heritage Park. The Beer Garden will also be open 5-10:30pm in the Marv Herzog Fest Platz, with the Runners Marketplace offering a variety of items for sale inside the Harvey Kern Community Pavilion, 5-9pm.
The marketplace will have shoes, socks, shorts, tops, jogging suits, sweat bands and other items.
In the Marv Herzog Fest Platz, there will be 5-6 free inflatable activities for children. The inflatables are being sponsored by the Fairfield Inn and SpringHill Suites of Frankenmuth.
The St. Lorenz Lutheran School youth will be serving a carbo-boosting, all-you-care-to-eat spaghetti dinner, 5-9pm, inside the Lion Haus. The cost is $8 per person. The band “The Shades” will perform 7-11pm in the park, interrupted only by the 20-25-minute Zambelli fireworks display. The fireworks will be set off from the Heritage Park ball fields, with the best viewing available in the park and along the Cass River. The Jaycees underwrite the cost of the fireworks.
July 4
On race day, the park is open bright and early as the runners, walkers, volunteers and family members prepare for the big day.
Runner registration is open 6-10:30am, with registration closing 30 minutes prior to the start of each respective race.
The Lion Haus will be serving a pancake breakfast, 7-10am.
The racing action will begin after the 7:50am playing of the National Anthem by the Frankentrost Band. Following the Anthem, the band will retreat to the Jaycee Pavilion to play polkas, waltzes, and patriotic tunes until 11:30am.
The 10K race, sponsored by Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland, will be started by cannon fire at 8am, followed by the 20K race at 8:10am, sponsored by Adidas.
For the 30th year, runners and walkers will traverse the Holz-Bruecke, built and put in place in winter, 1979.
The Runners Marketplace, chicken barbecue by Optimist Club of Frankenmuth, Beer Garden (moved to the Sommer Garten) and concessions will be open in the park, 9am until 1pm.
At 10am, the 5K run will commence, followed closely at 10:02am by the 5K walk. Both events are sponsored by the Bavarian Inn Restaurant.
At 11am, the Jaami’s Jams & Jellies 2K Gemuetlichkeit Fun Run will take place, beginning on Weiss Street.
The Awards Ceremony will commence at noon, with 2009 Bavarian Princess Brittney Reinert and Court members Rebecca Dunton and Sarah Suminski assisting in handing out the authentic German beer steins to the overall winners and top male and female competitors by age category.
The Volkslaufe is also unique in that the community gets behind the Jaycees and the runners. Aid stations are strategically placed along the routes as well as on-course entertainers to motivate the runners and walkers.
The following acts will be out on the city or country courses: The Bavarian Dancers, The Profilerz, Rosstal Arch, pianist Justin Bannister, accordionist and vocalist Greg Rummel, Patriotic Dancers, one-man band Jim Elliott, The Fonix Bros, Zehnder’s Drumstick mascot, the Lange Road Pirates and “It’s Time to Work” working out theme on West Tuscola Street.
For more information, visit the website (http://www.volkslaufe.org/).
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