Leanna – HKRS Johnstown, PA
How many seasons have you been a Community Coordinator?
Four Seasons
Tell us about yourself! What inspired you to join HKRS?
My son started running with HKRS when he was 2, and I knew from his first season that I wanted to be involved. There was something so special about the time we spent together at the park on those Sunday afternoons: smiles across the finish lines, parents and grandparents gathered around cheering on the kids, and time outdoors as a family in the open air. In my past life, I was a race director for several local races, including kids’ trots, and my heart kept pulling me back. I’m passionate about running like many of you, and I wanted to share my love of running with our community. The coordinators before me built up an excellent program, so I owe much of the program’s success today to the work they put in from the start.
What is your biggest success as a Coordinator so far (or favorite race day moment)?
I will always remember one Sunday when it was pouring, and the course started to get muddy just as the first graders got going with their race. Around the first bend of the boys’ quarter mile race, which was quite competitive, a boy slipped and fell. Another runner next to him stopped and bent down to help him up even though it put him behind the pack. It was such a small act of kindness, but it set such a powerful example for their fellow runners and all of the adults there that day. This is a story I’ll continue to tell future runners because it showcases the most important values of HKRS. Moments like these are why I’m a community coordinator. We talk about HKRS values like resilience and kindness while we stretch, and if the kids gain just one thing from the program, I hope it’s these values.
What makes your community special?
The Greater Johnstown community has so much to offer our families, and so many of those organizations have consistently supported our program over the years. We’re able to do weekly giveaways for passes to our local 814 Lanes and Games and Urban Air trampoline park, for example. Mascots from our local hockey and baseball teams have come out to cheer on our runners. Allied Milk Producers provides free milk and cheese to runners at our races, a business took photos and video at no cost, and local area organizations provide lots of giveaways…and more! It’s really incredible to see our community rally around this program, and we are grateful for their support.
What is some advice you would like to share with fellow Community Coordinators?
The most important piece of advice I’d share would be to prioritize the kids’ experience by making it fun above all else while also recognizing the program as an opportunity for kids to build confidence and learn how to believe in themselves.
Also, our program wouldn’t be possible without the 8 dedicated parent volunteers that have committed their time to the races since I’ve started. This is not a one person show, and volunteers are essential to carrying out the program efficiently and successfully. My advice from an administrative perspective would be to focus on volunteer retention if you’re established and recruitment if you’re just getting started. Treat them well, never take them for granted, and acknowledge them at the top of each race for their time and energy. I love to give my volunteers small tokens of appreciation at the end of the season, and if a sponsor wants to donate their registrations, I reserve these for volunteers’ kids for the next season.
Fun Fact:
My family is slowly working toward visiting all of the National Parks, and my boys ages 4 and 8 really enjoy exploring new places and the junior ranger process. Our favorites so far are Arches and Sequoia National Parks.
