Post One – Exactly one week.  Seven days, and my heart is beating extremely fast.  I had an idea, and I am going with it.  I think it is important for now and in the future, to lay down the reasons behind the questions often asked, “WHY on earth, if you made the decision to move to Mexico, would you continue to stress yourself out over activities that you can leave behind, 5k’s and such?”  One of many I get asked, but this is also a place that deserves some explanation and well, if it doesn’t make sense, then well, that kind of goes with my personality  🙂

Steaming hot summer day, Delaware humidity as high as it can get, and I am walking past the athletic fields of Seaford, and maybe thinking it is a mirage, yet I am almost positive I see two images in the distance.  What the heck, something about circumference and cutting across an area to make it faster, etc, I cut across the fields.  As I came closer, I spotted Jackie and Vince hunched down, pouring cement into holes resurrecting a stronger foundation for the batting cage supports.  In the middle of the day, the hottest time of the day?  No kidding, that stuck with me.  That one single moment, defined a whole era of what Vince and Jackie represented.  No students were around, and I tried my best to help them although they had the hardest part already done, yet, alot of students were impacted by this.

It’s hard to explain, but leaving so much behind when I left was next to one or two things that come to mind at least the third hardest thing I ever had to do in my life.  Ever.  I remember spaghetti dinners, awesome picnics when we would go away for meets, THE ultimate football game after XC one year, and so much more, so much more.  Yet, I always tried to replicate what Vince believed in, I knew I could never achieve what he did, yet, it’s funny how I really only knew him about two years, and yet the activities I never had a chance to experience drifted down into events I felt important to try and carry forward.

I feel the same way about these 5k’s, and Chapel Branch; the people that these are really for had a standard that should be carried forward always, it will help so many out in future years.  Yet, they tie me to so many memories I had that I cherish about, in this case, Vince Morris and Dr. Betts.  The amazing heart and compassion they had for the things they did over and over for the community, a 5k to keep remembering is the least of what should occur I feel. I could be in Japan, and I feel, that coming home to Seaford to perform these 5k’s is a complete necessity.

Regarding Dr. Bett’s for me, this is maybe the worst tragedy personally, I never ever met Dr. Betts, yet communicated with her every year as she eagerly sponsored our year book, The Aloha.  I was amazed at just the generosity that oozed from the transactions and emails exchanged from her constant support for the students.  I was devastated when I learned about her brave fight with cancer, it you could just tell in her smile, that she was a fighter, and this characteristic, along with Vince’s, would place something forever in each of us.  The story given to me about the use of her red umbrella on the beach, I just love, love the fact this belongs to her.

I still fight with learning how to cut corners, save money for the 5k’s have processes work out so the 5k is memorable, unique, yet raises the funds needed for the designated recipient areas, so not all is spent on shirts, trophies, etc and the funds goes to the charities designated for.  I am getting better.  Right now I received an EIN from the Federal Government, and made the name Brakeaway Productions.  My goal is to have this be a non profit organization that can create events for non profit charities, and then checks can be made to that name, and distributed out to the charities.  In order to bring transparency to the funds, I hope to create a website for each event, and then participants and anyone can see where the funds go directly, and then this will help maximize the profit to the designated charities. Without the help of the below, this dream of having an event to always bring out that part of our hearts that are filled with the generosity of individuals like Vince and Dr. Betts, these events would not occur:

Jackie Morris

Coach Perciful, his wife, and awesome family (with stories)

Coach Doakes

Coach Hood

Coach Uhlich

My Mom

Melinda Duryea

Dan Dobson

Tammy Pham who is PAVE

The Halters

The Fields

The Hawkins

The Doyles

Jerry Sodano

The Betts (yeah, all of them)

The DeMotts (same as above)

Ms. Mervine and her army of volunteers from the Nanticoke River Watershed Conservancy, Inc.

The Sigai’s (yep, all of them)

Local supporting companies (Pizza King, Michael D. Betts, LPCMH, Invista, Seaford Florist, Sherwin Williams, Crown Trophy, ASAP Printing).

ALL the amazing XC athletes I came across and that ran under Vince, the athletes that swam for Jackie, and so many volunteers in the form of Boy Scouts, Jason Beale, and the Master Gardener’s who helped add to components to the trail.

All the way to Mexico, the carpenters who have asked and learned about this 5k and contributed to the impacts of this event.

Honestly, this is just a FEW of the individuals I have met in the last few years that have made major motivations, changes to myself, in lieu of Dr Betts and Vince Morris.  More names and individuals will begin to appear.

Strange as it is, my dream is to come home May 10th flying in from Mexico, and see The Vince Morris Trail at Chapel Branch PACKED with those affected by the results of what Vince and Dr. Betts paid forward to all of us.  This is why I believe in this and other 5k’s, they send benefits to others, if conducted the right way, that were the same exact motivations the people they represent pushed forward to others as well.

There is so much history, meaning, and motivation in an event such as a Vince Morris and Dr. Bett’s 5k Walk/run, I hope many future generations will learn of such events and want to participate, with the stories being passed down continually.  🙂

If you know of someone that would also be intrigued by the reason for this 5k, please bring them along, I feel this day will be one to remember for many many years.  🙂  Did I mention I am nervous?  I feel like I am on the edge of the starting line again, and without fail, my heart always speeds up, no matter how many times I’ve done the distance. Only this time, I will be surrounded by individuals that share something we will cherish aside from the running.  🙂

Dr betts and vince morris app

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