We had a fantastic turnout for the 49th annual Parlor City Trot last weekend. This year’s race drew from Wells Country, surrounding counties, and beyond for the half-marathon, 10k, and 5k events. Over 90 percent of the half-marathon runners were from outside Wells County, and 75 percent of the participants in both the 10k and 5k were from outside Wells County. Participants came from Ft. Wayne, Evansville, Kendallville, La Grange, Indianapolis, Garret, Rossville, Huntington, Columbia City, Yorktown, and even New York City.
In the half-marathon, the top finisher was Jeff Zenger of Fort Wayne, and the first woman was 2nd place overall finisher, Mariah Jordan of Fort Wayne. In fact, the 2nd through 5th place overall finishers were all women. The first Wells County finishers, earning the Tom Elliot Memorial Award, were 9th place finisher Lane Sander and 32nd place finisher Madalynn Reinhard.
In the 10k event, Mathew Ackerman of Huntington was the first male finisher, and Brooke Ladenburg of Yoder was the first female. JP Thomas of Ft. Wayne finished first in the 5k, and Emily Leonard of Ft. Wayne was the first female. Full results can be found at eRunner.biz, and pictures are available on the Bluffton Parks Facebook Page.
We are excited to host the 50th Parlor City Trot on Labor Day weekend, 2024. We aren’t sure where the Parlor City Trot ranks among the longest-running races in Indiana, but it is three years older than the famous 500 Festival Indy Mini Marathon.
Our next fitness-related event is Walk Steady for Rock Steady Boxing Bluffton on the Saturday after Street Fair, Sept. 23, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Please help us fight back against Parkinson’s Disease by choosing the .5, 1, 1.5, 2, or 3-mile walk. All participants will need to be finished by 11:00 a.m. You can sign up to walk with us OR sign up as a virtual walker and walk on your own. Everyone receives an event t-shirt. Sign up OR donate online at https://tinyurl.com/5n8y8x5w.
If you enjoyed the summer 5 in 5 5K series, you will want to mark your calendars for the fall series starting on Sept. 28. Join us on Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. for a 5k fun run while enjoying the cooler temperatures and fall colors. This run is just for fun and is a great way to connect with other runners and walkers. The cost is $1 each week. If you complete 4 of the 5 runs, you will earn an event beanie just in time for the cold weather.
There are only a couple of weeks left to sign up for Senior Snippets classes. The Bluffton Parks Department is excited to offer a Fall session focused on the Senior population, with weekly classes on various topics. These FREE talks will be held at different locations in town, so be sure to make a note in your calendar after you sign up. Topics include Teaching food preservation in Trinidad and Tobago, Hydration for Health, and How It’s Made, where we will hear from Valero, WEG, and 2020 Custom Molded Plastics about the manufacturing process. We also have Wells County History, Easy Fall Crafts, Crochet Lessons, and a Movie/Book Club focusing on Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.” Some classes have limited space, and you must call 824-6069 or e-mail events@blufftonindiana.gov to register.
Only a few spots are left for the next Hue Can Paint class for youth ages 7 & up on Monday, Sept. 25. Lessons will be held at Washington Park Indoor Pavilion (710 S. Mulberry St.) from 6-7:45 p.m. The cost is only $15 per person and includes all supplies and instructions. To register, call 824-6069 or e-mail events@blufftonindiana.gov. The painting for September will be Bats.
Have a great week!
