Run to Stop Hunger held at WCC
By John Joyce
Published in News on November 2, 2014 1:50 AM
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News-Argus/DENNIS HILL
Runners competing in the 10-kilometer portion of the Run to Stop Hunger leave the starting line Saturday morning. The event was sponsored by the 4th Fighter Wing Security Forces Squadron Association.
More than 70 runners took part Saturday morning in a foot race against hunger.
The 4th Fighter Wing Security Forces Squadron Association sponsored the Running to Stop Hunger event at Wayne Community College. Despite cool temperatures and the threat of rain, a rainbow showed itself shortly before the 9 a.m. start and the sun poked through the clouds.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the Goldsboro Community Soup Kitchen.
Event organizers Nancy Dellick and Travis Kibler said they were pleased at how many runners and volunteers turned despite the weather.
Marilou Lugo led a team of BellaMorphosis Women's Health Club fitness instructors from SJAFB in the 10K.
"I'm the motivator. I dragged them all to the race," she said.
The group worked out together in preparation for the race.
Delicia Manuel was a little less prepared.
"I have no running experience. I jog around the neighborhood some, but I do have a goal to run more and become fit," she said.
Ms. Manuel was coaxed into the 5K by her sister, Mashonda Simmons, who decided in July to run six 5Ks by the end of this year.
"This is number five," she said.
All of the participants said they came out to support the drive to stop hunger in Goldsboro and Wayne County -- the need for which was made clear when Goldsboro Mayor Al King addressed the crowd before the races.
"I recently found out that a lot of kids, 65 percent of kids who go to school in Goldsboro, go hungry," King said.
He said the number shocked him.
"Something needs to be done about that and something will be done about it," he vowed.
King also promised to do whatever it takes to continue supporting the soup kitchen.
He said that certain "undesirables" who hang around the soup kitchen sometimes stir up trouble in that area.
A group had recently scheduled to meet with the mayor to ask him to close down the soup kitchen as a means of curtailing crime and nuisance.
"I took the meeting and as soon as they sat down the first thing I said was, 'We are not closing the soup kitchen,'" King said.
After the runners departed to the starting line, King spoke candidly about hunger in the community.
"I didn't believe it at first when I heard 65 percent, but I am accepting it as fact. I've reached out to the community and found there are a number of small agencies doing things to stop hunger and we are working with them," King said.
He said he would like to see more help from area churches in addressing the issue.
He said plenty of churches around the city have buses, and the members like to eat, he said.
He suggested a food delivery program or some sort of transportation arrangement, the details for all of which would have to be worked out, he acknowledged.
The community has to answer the call, King said.
"There are kids that go to school and they are only eating twice a day, while they are at school. What about after? What about on the weekend?"