Volunteers make Classic an enjoyable experience
Scores of volunteers lined both the 10K and 2.1mile courses of the Kiwanis Kingston Classic, offering paper cups of water, while cheering on runners.
Some are members of the Kiwanis Club of Kingston, others are members of local running organizations, while still others are high school and college kids belonging to volunteer organizations at their schools.
Among the people handing out water to runners in both races at Abeel and Wurts streets was John A. Coleman Catholic Catholic cross country coach, Patrick LoPiano.
LoPiano, a board member of the Onteora Runners Club, has ran in the Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon and the Frankfurt Marathon in Germany during his 51-year running career that started when he was in high school. He has been a fixture at the Classic for many years either running in it or volunteering.
As he handed out water to 10K runners as they turned back onto Abeel from the Rondout Creek Bridge shortly past the 5K mark, he said he likes helping out Kiwanis because they’ve provided volunteers to Onteora Runner’s Club events on many occasions over the years.
LoPiano added that when he was younger he used to just take the volunteers for granted when he ran a race, but over the years he came to realize just how important they are.
Also handing out water was Danelle Manley, an advisor in Kingston High’s Key Club, which works closely with the Kiwanis on community events.
“I like cheering on the runners and seeing them make their way to accomplishing something,” she said. “People are up running, participating in something, it’s nice to help them out if we can.”
Kiwanis member Steve Broskie rang a cowbell like a town crier as runners in the 10K crested a long hill and prepared to turn onto the Rondout Creek Bridge. He said it can be very quiet along the course and he wanted to mix things up.
“Let’s change the pace,” Broskie said.
Broskie’s an avid skier and he brought the idea of ringing a bell down from the slopes where people ring bells as skiers pass in downhill races.
Kate Landi, also a Kiwanis member, said it was great helping out at an event that benefits the community. “It’s great, the proceeds get funneled back into the community and help other community members,” Landi said.
Jenna Coddington, of Kingston, was enjoying cheering on runners during her first day volunteering at the water table.
“It’s an amazing feeling telling them they can do it and not to give up,” she said.
As the last of the 10K runners turned onto the Rondout Creek Bridge, volunteers shifted their efforts to picking up cups runners left behind.
Further down the course, Sophie Rhind, president of the Circle K Club at SUNY New Paltz, and Bryan Atancuri, of Long Island, helped runners in both races stay on course.
Rhind, a first-time volunteer, was enjoying the afternoon.
“I like seeing the families run together, the little ones with their parents,” she said, as she stood near the finish line on Rondout Landing underneath the John T. Loughran Bridge as the final few 10K runners crossed the line.
Atancuri, said it was a his first time seeing a running event in-person and he liked interacting with the runners.
“They were giving us high-fives,” Antancuri said.
But most of all he enjoyed watching runners finish, and their reactions as they crossed the line.
“A guy was averaging 1213 miles per hour, he finished a 10K in 36 minutes,” Atancuri said.