Can you hear me, Nancy?” Tom Lewis howled into the microphone to start the Striders’ Annual Awards Banquet. “Yes, but I don’t want to!” replied Nancy Burns from the far end of the room. And that’s how the annual awards ceremony began. Fifteen tables of Striders congregated at the Other Barn in Oakland Mills Village Center to celebrate the finest among their number, as well as certify the 2005 Board of Directors, renew memberships, and enjoy a pot-luck dinner.
Master of ceremony and Nominations and Selections Chairman Tom Lewis made sure everyone had gone through the food lines at least once before starting the business part of the meeting. Then he began by thanking the sponsors of the Howard County Striders, most notably Jeff and Karen Cohen of Feet First, the official store of the Striders. He also specifically thanked Mr. Mike York, that most gracious gentleman who puts water out on Stevens Forest Road every Saturday morning for the bagel runners.
The Striders then elected a 2005 Board of Directors (see box), which pretty much consisted of the usual suspects. Mark Gilmore (At Large) and Pat Wilkerson (Women’s Com-mmitee) were stepping down, to be replaced by Richard Bernstein and Tacy Feliciano. Otherwise, the 2005 Board was the same as the 2004 Board. The multitude signaled their unanimous approval of the slate. “The voting machines aren’t working,” groused Joe Wasserman in the audience.
President Phil Lang then reviewed the wonderful year of 2004. He discussed the many races the Striders put on and thanked the fine volunteers who make the club work. He also noted that 2004 marked the year of Dave Tripp’s retirement “from the Rouse Company, not from running,” and the generous monetary donation of Rouse to fund the Howard County Striders Athlete-Scholarship Award. Phil concluded by Tom then discussed the charitable donations the Striders would make in 2005. These consisted of donations to STTAR (Sexual Trauma Treatment And Recovery) Center, the Howard Community College, the Howard County High Schools, and to the Maryland Special Olympics.
Before the presentation of the 2004 performance awards, Treasurer Steve Zelenak discussed the 2005 budget and presented each table with the budget and asked if there were any questions. There being none, Tom Lewis launched into the performance awards.
-- by Jim Carbary |
