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."
Complete Results from the meet at THIS LINK.