Runner's Club
Newsletter

"...published whenever we get around to it...for the serious runner who may or may not join runners' clubs but dislikes junk mail!"

Table of Contents

• Thanks Everyone
• We're thinkin' of you Jerry
• Bill Kile's Memorial Run Champions
• BKMR 2002 Sponsors
• Congratulations! 2002 Scholarship Recipients
• Meet This Year's Scholarship Winners
• Need water...?
• The scoop behing your free CR

Boy, a year goes by fast, doesn't it? It seems like only yesterday I was wrapping up the fifth annual Bill Kile's Memorial Run.

Your continued support in making this event possible is greatly appreciated. Without the support of the running community, we wouldn't be here today.

I hope you like our decision to stay with t-shirts, although I did order a limited number of tanks, so ask someone at registration if there are any left for a swap.

So while the logo - designed by good friend and water stop captain Paul Sollimo - remains the race's trademark, the color will always change. It's really neat when people come to the race with colors from years past. Like I've mentioned before, it's like we've added another color to the "Bill Kile" rainbow.

We have a couple new sponsors this year and I've also increased the number of awards given in the fun run - top three overall male and female finishers.

Also in the four-miler, special awards will recognize the top male and female Masters' finishers, as well as the youngest and oldest participants to complete the race.

There are a few people I'd like to recognize in helping with this year's event.

My sister, Kim Suiter was in part responsible for the water donation. She's a marketing coordinator at Weyerhaeuser in Barrington and with the help of Dennis Cannon, a Weyerhaeuser Senior Account Executive, got 10 cases of water donated by Wissahickon. Kim's contact there was Glenn M. Ricks. Thanks Glen!

Another than you goes out to the folks at South Jersey Sports Online for plugging the race under its "Event Spotlight" section.

And, as always, a special thank you goes out to Barbara DeFranco who is my P.H.S. connection and is always there whenever I need her. She promotes the race "in the district" and puts me in touch with the scholarship winners each year.

PHILADELPHIA - Jerry Nolan doesn't remember too much after the accident, only that he considers himself a lucky man.

All he remembers is walking to his mechanic's garage to pick up his car. Everything's a blur after that.

Nolan, 75, who is known by pretty much anyone associated with running in the Delaware Valley, sustained serious injuries when he was hit by a car - just two blocks from his house on "I" Street - on June 25.

Nolan broke his left leg in two places and had cuts on his face that required about a dozen stitches. He spent four days - one unconscious in the trauma unit - at Temple University Hospital.

The good news is that he's projected to be out of his ankle-to-hip cast on August 6 and, more importantly, he suffered no internal injuries.

The bad news is that he might not be able to run for about a year. Any of you who know Jerry knows that's a tough pill to swallow.

Nolan, who has competed in all five Bill Kile's Memorial Runs, said he was going to try to make an appearance today. Not to run, of course.

"I was lucky really," said Nolan, who is staying with friends in Pennsylvania during his recovery.

Say hello to Jerry if you see him today or send a Get Well card to:

Jerry Nolan
c/o Betty Williams
7115 Rudderow Avenue
Pennsauken, NJ 08109
email: ewilliamspnskn@snip.net

The 2002 William H. Kile Jr. Humanitarian Scholarship Fund was awarded to four Pennsauken High School students for the fourth time.

In June, graduating seniors Elaine Bonilla, Joseph Bucher, Michael McKinsey and William Sanchez each received $600, while Howard Phifer Middle School graduate Jenea' Peterson was also honored.

Last year's run raised $1,000 for the scholarship fund. The William H. Kile Jr. Humanitarian Scholarship is the largest memorial fund at Pennsauken. In five years the race has raised $9,500.

On behalf of the entire Kile family, thank you for your continued support.

Previous Scholarship Winners Pennsauken High School 2002 - Elaine Bonilla, Joseph Bucher, Michael McKinsey, William Sanchez 2001 - Rebeca Aviles, Obubunmi Babajide, Emanuel Gomez, John Rogowskyj 2000 - Jennifer Esola, Isaac Gomez, Khang Le, Elizabeth Rodriguez 1999 - Steven Creel, Kerry Gallagher 1998 - Kim Davies, Melanie Hedges, Tim Killion, Tom Nigro 1997 - Kieu Cao, Emmett Dweh Howard Phifer Middle School 2002 - Jenea' Peterson 2001 - Fotios Malliaris, Marianne Zayas 2000 - Nhan Nguyen, Gloria Wan 1999 - Jonathan Paolini 1998 - Fantasia Brown, Robert Rosenheim 1997 - William Smith

Elaine Bonilla

  Elaine Bonilla knows where she is going in September, but she's not certain what she'll study. Bonilla, who was quite active outside the classroom, plans to attend Long Island University and is presently "undeclared." She did say she might study medicine and someday work as a medical assistant.
  While at Pennsauken, Bonilla was involved in student government, Path Finder and Learn to Swim programs, as well as a defensive player on the varsity soccer and lacrosse teams. In her freshman and sophomore years, Bonilla was a manager for the girl's junior varsity and varsity basketball teams.
  Bonilla was ranked 114th in her class with a 3.0 GPA.

Joseph Bucher

  Joseph Bucher will attend Monmouth University in the fall and major in business finance. Joe's a man after my own heart since I'm a jazz want-to-be. He played the alto saxophone for the Pennsauken jazz band for two years and marching band for four years. He also promised to continue playing while he's in college.
  Bucher had an impressive GPA of more than 4.0 and was ranked fifth in his class going into his senior year. A member of the National Honor Society the last two years, Bucher also tutored at Franklin Elementary School on Saturdays during his junior and senior years.

Michael McKinsey

  Michael McKinsey plans on attending Camden County College in September and major in fire science technology.
  McKinsey is a volunteer firefighter for the Pennsauken Fire Department. Along with being "on call," Michael regularly attends Tuesday meetings and drills. That's not all he does.
  McKinsey, who was a trumpet player in the band and member of the Latin Honor Society all four years at Pennsauken High, works part-time at a local roller skating rink and also has his own DJ business. "I'm known as DJ Mike McKinsey," McKinsey said proudly. "I'm staying pretty busy," he added.
  McKinsey has signed up for the one-mile fun run today.

William Sanchez

  Several attempts to reach William Sanchez were, unfortunately, unsuccessful. It's tough, but sometimes these things happen in the world of newsletter writing.

Before you quickly say, "Yes, I'll volunteer at the water stop..." there is more involved than you first might think.

It's a technique that few have been able to master. There are sacrifices, challenges and even personal injury.

Susan Miller is volunteering at the Bill Kile Memorial Run for the second time today. She was also a race participant in 1998.

Managing editor at The Central Record newspaper in Medford, Miller trained for today's race two or three afternoons at work, totalling about 15 hours. Miller perfected her technique by handing out water to unsuspecting colleagues as they walked down the hallway.

"What the hell is this all about?" said staff reporter Elaine J. Barton, who is an avid Orangina drinker. "I'm not thirsty."

"I'm suffering from carpal tunnel Syndrome right now and I also ruined my favorite pair of blue suede shoes," Miller said.

Water-stop volunteers have to have a strong upper lip and be able to handle adversity.

"The challenge is to be able to handle rejection from the non-thirsty. I find it hard to take when people pour water over their heads because it's very wasteful," Miller added.

Although she's never had anyone throw water in her face, Miller admitted that she is ready for anything she might encounter. "I even have a slicker," she said.

Miller was nice enough to share with me her "unique" technique.

First, take your thumb and fore finger and pinch the top of a 30-ply Dixie cup that is filled up three-quarters of the way.

"Dixie is much more forgiving than the plastic cup," said Miller.

Second, time it so that you release the cup as the runner goes to grab it. The less water spilled, the better.

Miller has been known to handle one, even two cups of water at a time.

"I'm a Pisces, which means that I'm amphibious - and I'm ambidextrous," boasted Miller.

Miller credits her years of typing and editing stories for the strength in her fingers, which qualifies her as a top water volunteer.

"My fingers are very strong and agile," she said.

After volunteering the first year, Miller started her own company, Irish Spring Water - not to be confused with Poland Spring Water.

"It only lasted a day because people didn't take to our water too well," recalled Miller. "They thought it tasted too soapy."

So, say hello to Susan as you pass the halfway point of today's race. And be thankful that she knows exactly what she's doing because it's not an easy task.

If the special edition of the race-day Runner's Club Newsletter wasn't the first thing you grabbed out of your packet today, then the complementary copy of The Central Record is what you're looking at by now.

Why am I getting the June 27, 2002 issue of one of the oldest weeklies in the state you ask? The paper has a connection to today's proceedings. Turn to page 9 where you'll see the special tribute I did on the 25th anniversary of the Pineland Striders 10K.

One of the archive pictures used is of Bill Kile, Jr. - the man we're honoring today - cooling off after the race in 1996, which was the first year I covered it for the newspaper.

It marked one of the few times father and son appeared on the same page. It's something I'll always cherish.