After a year of rest, Lincoln Community Action Team (LCAT) brought back the Gingerbread Fun Run this year, with the help of some dedicated volunteers.

Jaimie Torrealday and Darby Porter, from the Lincoln County Workforce Connection, were happy to provide residents with the annual fundraiser that, “is healthy and benefits the school,” said Porter.

Two years ago was the last Gingerbread Fun Run, which only saw 30 to 40 participants. The ladies this year reported more than 100 registered participants. “We were thrilled,” said Porter.

“Only about 70 showed up,” Porter said, because of the weather. But still, it was double the participation seen two years ago.
Porter said, “It took us four tries before we got the 3.12 mile course right.”

Runners started at 9:30 a.m., and walkers at 10. Beginning at the monument at the Caliente Elementary School, the course went down the Meadow Valley Linear Park trail, looped behind the wash and came down Main Street and down street that runs by the apartments before going back across the bridge and finishing at the monument.

Participants complimented the trail that was adorned with inspirational messages and arrows that told how far down the course they were, and encouraged runners and walkers to continue to the finish.

Each participant was assigned a runner’s number. Rather than award prizes for times, they were raffled off from the ticket from each runner’s assigned number. All participants received shirts of the Gingerbread Fun Run’s design.

Hayley Gloeckner was a big contributor to the success of the event. She was a part of the Gingerbread Fun Run in year’s past, and helped get a lot set up and also helped to get sponsors, the ladies said. At the Caliente Elementary School Christmas program, they awarded Gloeckner with a special shirt for the fun run, giving her the title of “Crumb Queen.”

The event raised more than $600 for the Caliente Elementary School. “We donate it for whatever they need. This year, it was for sporting equipment for P.E. We are asking them to put any excess towards the annual Washington D.C. trips,” Porter said.

After the trek, participants were given bananas, water and of course, gingerbread cookies. Porter said, “We had a lot of families with kids. That was neat for them to have family time. A lot said they were excited to do it next year.” Torrealday and Porter say they both will continue to volunteer to organize the event next year as well.

The ladies would like to thank all the sponsors and community that supported the event.