The aMAESn Gang

WE DID IT!!!! I can't believe it has come and gone already... we have been talking and planning this forever it seems!!
OK, if you have looked at the bottom right of my blog and read about "NIKKI" my girlfriend that was tragically killed at work in June 2006, this event was all about her!! When she was killed a friend named Jill and Nikki's husband Chris, were brainstorming about something to do in Nikki's name. They came up with a 5K run & 1 mile fun walk. THUS, the "NIKKI ANDERSON-MANGIN 5K Run and 1 mile Walk" was born! So here are the pictures that were takin at the event. You can see the pictures of the "GIRLS"...we played volleyball all through high school with Nikki and "Sally" played with her in college. The money that was raised at this event will go to a BOULDER CITY (that is were we all are from and went to school)High School Volleyball player as a scholarship in Nikki's name!!! It is very exciting to be on the "board" of this scholarship committee and it will be so great to be able to study and decide on a deserving player!!
Nikki Left behind a wonderful husband Chris, a 6 year old Cruz, and a 3 year old Mazzy. (she died a week before Cruz turned 5 and Mazzy was 18 months) Nikki's mom is Beth (she is my 2nd mom) and her brother is Chad. Chad has a little boy named "Snoopy" (chad jr.) and Nikki's dad is named Jeff. The last 2 years has been absolute agony and tourcher on them all. Time helps but Nikki had the type of personality that most people would kill for. She was always the life of the party and life is very different without her around!
It was the FIRST ANNUAL, and therefore and big learning experience...however it went very smooth the day of the race! (Jill did TONS and TONS of work to put it together and then the rest of us just pitched in when and where needed!!!) We showed up at the start line at 5:15 am to set up and make the balloon arch at the start/finish line. Racers started showing up and registering and we very quickly ran out of t-shirts as more people showed than we anticipated. We had 170 participants either walking or running! It was $25 to register and you got a t-shirt with that. It was truley amazing to see the people just keep coming and coming!! Just before the race started the Mayor, Mike Pacini, said a few words and brought tears to everyones eyes!! We had a moment of silence for Nikki...it was a very powerful experience! The race got under way and went off without a hitch!! My grandma was the oldest participant at a very young 83 and she did fabulous!!!
At the end they had a awards ceramony where they handed out some money to the first man and first women to cross the finish and then ribbons to the top three in each age group! The EXCITING thing is...over $11,000 has been counted thus far!!!! We were expecting around $3,000. TOOOO COOOOL!!!!
This will be an annual thing, the first weekend in MAY and it coisides with the Boulder City Jamboree event that has lots of fun for the kids and lots of venders!! Put it on your calander and come out next year with your family, and as Chris (Nikki's husband said) 10 of your friends!!!!