There was a break in the heat and a light breeze as buses from the Valley’s elementary schools drove into the parking lot behind the Ormstown recreation centre. Students from Ormstown Elementary (OES), Howick, Gault, Heritage, Hemmingford, and Franklin came to participate in the cross-country run, or “Valley Run,” which took place over two days. On October 4, grades 1,2, and 3 ran a 600-metre run; and on October 5, grades 4, 5, and 6 ran 1.2 kilometres around the soccer field behind the centre.
This is the second year that this event has been hosted by OES, and the second year that the early grades were invited to participate. The run was organized by the physical education teachers from all six Valley schools. Michelle Blair, the phys. ed. teacher at Franklin Elementary, spoke enthusiastically: “This was a fun way to start the year. Grades 1, 2, and 3 don’t usually participate in other sporting events and this is less competitive for them. Running is something everyone can be a part of.”
Students cheered their classmates on as they waited for their turn to run. Tents were set up on one side of the field to offer each school a space to eat lunch and cool down after running. The last run finished before noon. In all, 697 students took part in the event.
Before the students boarded the buses to go home, Gault Elementary School phys. ed. teacher, Kent Erskine, thanked each school individually and congratulated them on their participation. Erskine was pleased with the event. “Today went extremely well,” he said. “It was a beautiful day, and the kids had a good time.”