Volunteers
- By Doug Kurtis
Free Press Columnist

The Detroit Free Press Flagstar Bank Marathon could not take place without volunteers, thousands of them.   Course marshals, split timers, fluid, spirit and entertainment station helpers.   Volunteering at a marathon is the essence of community involvement.

A number of studies have shown that when people volunteer their time to do something for others they enjoy happier, healthier and better quality lives. Students who do volunteer work perform better in school and cities with a high number of volunteers have lower crime rates.

Detroit and Windsor is a great place to volunteer. People from Corktown, Mexicantown, Indian Village, Greektown as well as Windsor's residents take pride in showing runners their neighborhoods.   It's a win, win situation because the appreciation for each other is apparent in the smiling faces of everyone involved.  

Coordinating over 3,000 volunteers to work in a variety of areas on race weekend is an enormous task. Sometimes it feels like organized chaos but everything seems to fall into place.  

At the end of the day, volunteers discover the excitement of the marathon. They have fun and enjoy the camaraderie between everyone participating.   This year will be the largest field of runners since the Free Press took over the race in 1978.    The growth in numbers has come in part because of the dedication and vision of the marathon staff, which are for the most part volunteers.   They, like many of the race day volunteers, have been part of the marathon year after year.

Putting a medal around the neck of someone who has completed his or her first marathon is a rewarding and enriching experience. Just ask Sandy Bednarek, who has captained the finish line crew for every one of the Detroit Free Press Marathons.   Or Sue Baer and Luanne Offer who ensure that registration and T-shirt pick-up is a smooth process.   Baer said that she has switched assignments several times after serving a particular area for a few years and found that she looked at the event from an entirely different light each time.  

Food distribution and massage therapy inside the confines of Ford Field seems to take place without a hitch and there is never a problem finding groups to set up one of the twenty-six water stations on the course.   Finding fifty pair of course marshals that are needed to keep runners from making a wrong turn is a bit more challenging, as is gathering a post race clean up crew. The marathon staff is still looking for people to fill these positions.

Most of the running clubs and stores organize volunteer groups. Sponsors and charities are great at bringing in groups of supporters. Volunteer registration is available in hard copy form at running specialty stores. It can be done on-line at: www.detroitfreepressmarathon.com/VolunteerInfo.

"For most runners, completing a marathon represents the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. One cannot - and does not - undertake and complete such a rigorous training program - and come out the same person. Instead, he/she/they/we - and our lives - are altered, positively, richly and forever," says Patricia (Ball) Dlugokinski, Race Director and marathoner. "It is the volunteers that make this dream possible." Anyone who has volunteered in the past will tell you the experience is worth it. They carry home a tremendous amount of energy and excitement despite getting up so early in the morning.