With Hurricane Helene still fresh in everyone’s thoughts, 23 high school teams with more than 350 athletes from across the region, including areas affected by Helene, made their way to Southside Park in Newton on Oct. 9 to compete in the 31st annual John F. Hall Catawba County United Way Cross Country Invitational.
The founder and United Way Volunteer Coordinator of the event, John Hall, hoped the meet would be a bright spot in a dark time.
Along with providing an opportunity for local athletes to compete in a first-class meet, they also give back to their communities through service projects.
It was fitting that this year’s special guest was, Martin Parnell. He has run in more than 300 marathons and raised over $1,000,000 for children in need. Parnell also ran a special marathon in Afghanistan to raise awareness of women’s rights and gender equality. That event became the subject of a book by Parnell, "The Secret Marathon," and a documentary film.
"For me it's all about sharing," Parnell said to the teams after the meet. "You are all on the path of some type of running goal today, but it's worth thinking about how you can give back, how you can share what you know and help tomorrow."
2024 Service Project Winners
1st – East Burke High School – 40 points - $300
Collected new or gently used children's books for the Little Free Libraries of Burke County. The primary beneficiaries were students from low-income neighborhoods, who often lacked resources for reading materials.
2nd – Hibriten High – 38 points - $250
Partnered with the school’s new carpentry program to build and maintain travel
libraries for the new pre-k and exceptional children students.
3rd – Fred T. Foard – 31 points - $150
Raised money via the calendar fundraiser to help elderly, disabled, or veteran families with
medical care for their pets, including spaying and neutering.
- Monetary prizes provided by Rotary Club of Hickory
Complete Race Results from the meet at THIS LINK.