Melfort Multi-K marks milestone year as longtime race director steps away

“In the beginning, I was home with the two kids. Ironically, now it’s still about them 16 years later,” Rogers said. “I was just trying to find something for myself to do that wasn’t just with the kids and just sort of, through the grapevine, heard about this committee and joined and sort of morphed into the race director role.”

“It’s been a huge love of mine for the last 16 years,” she added. “It’ll be hard to see it there without me, but I’m super confident that the people that remain, they’ve got lots of committee members coming back and some new faces. I’m sure it’ll be just as wonderful.”

The Multi-K has kept a familiar format for most of its history, with the 1K kids’ fun run, 5K, 10K and 21.1K distances continuing to draw runners and walkers to Melfort. Rogers said the consistency has been part of the event’s success.

“For the most part, we’ve just kind of kept it the same and it seems to be working,” she said. “If it’s not broken, right?”

The event’s reach has grown well beyond Melfort. Rogers said the first year drew more than 400 registrations, and the race has since topped 600 registered participants. Most come from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta, though organizers have also welcomed people from B.C. and across the country.

“A lot of people use it as a weekend and they come home and have sort of a bit of a family reunion,” Rogers said. “It’s turned into a weekend that people plan to make that trip home to be part of it.”

This year’s race included several anniversary highlights. A medal design contest was opened to Melfort’s four schools, drawing about 150 submissions. The winning design, submitted by Amy Madraga from MUCC, also helped inspire the event T-shirt.

Rogers said another memorable moment came from five members of the local fire department, who completed the 5K in full turnout gear while raising money for muscular dystrophy.

Members of the Melfort Fire Department ran their race in full turnout gear to raise money for muscular dystrophy. With air tanks, the gear can weigh up to 75 pounds. (Image Credit: Facebook/MFD)

“It’s heavy and it’s hot,” Rogers said of the gear. “We were fortunate it was a beautiful day, but I don’t think it helped them very much.”

For Rogers, though, the highlight remains the 1K kids’ event, which is supported by Castle Northland Building Supply and gives 150 children a chance to take part.

“It’s the best part because those kids are so enthusiastic when they take off,” Rogers said. “Some are crying when they come back. Some are happy. It’s the best part of the morning, I think.”

The Melfort Multi-K was first envisioned by Dr. Richard van der Ross in 2011 as a way to give patients a goal to work toward, whether they were running or walking. Rogers said seeing that idea grow into a long-standing community event has been rewarding.

“It’s pretty cool to see that has carried on and become such a community thing,” she said. “It’s definitely turned into something that people work towards every year. For us to still be here 15, 16 years later is a pretty good accomplishment and still have the same turnout that we do. It’s just a testament to this community.”

Rogers said the event could not happen without sponsors, the City of Melfort, and the roughly 100 volunteers needed to put the Multi-K on each year.

“It’s not possible without them, especially the City of Melfort,” she said. “They help us get this all ready and that’s a huge part of it. And to our volunteers who come out every year, about 100 of them it takes to put the event on, so that is also a huge thank you to them.”

Although Rogers is stepping away, she said she is confident the Melfort Multi-K will remain strong with returning committee members and new volunteers ready to help carry the event forward.

Race results can be found here.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

by Susan McNeil

Melfort Multi-K marks milestone year as longtime race director steps away

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