Polson cross country team helps out Bigfork in weekend fundraiser

BIGFORK — Eight members of the Polson cross county team lent a helping hand to Bigfork High School last weekend. They were part of 267 people that registered for the 2010 Bigfork River 5K Walk/Run — a fundraiser for the Bigfork cross country program, which lost its funding during the district’s budget cuts for the upcoming school year.

“It was an outpouring of support,” Polson cross country coach Matt Seeley said.

Those associated with the Bigfork cross country team couldn’t help but feel overjoyed, and not to mention relieved.

“It just brought tears to my eyes it was so cool and I think the community really enjoyed it to,” Sue Loeffler, Bigfork High School’s head cross country coach said about the turnout.

Bigfork residents made up a big chunk of the participants and included a large number of district employees and their families, as well as student-athletes from other sports.

“It was overwhelming to me to see that so many people care about cross country,” Loeffler said. “I usually get pats on the back from the kids, but every once in a while it’s nice to get pats on the back from the adults showing their support in what we are trying to do.”

The rest of the support came from people from neighboring towns like Polson, especially those with connections to the sport, who wanted to help ensure that Bigfork’s program could stick around.

“[Cross country] always gets cut because of the low participation but it’s not the most expensive one so I don’t know why they need to,” Seeley said.

When Loeffler, who is also Bigfork’s head track coach, first learned that the cross country program was having its funding cut, she was in the middle of preparing her track athletes for post-season competition. Luckily, Loeffler had the help of Jill Morley, who is the parent of a couple of her runners and came up with the idea for the fundraiser.

“I have always done 5Ks and Bigfork doesn’t have one so I thought it would be a good way to get Bigfork a 5K and help the cross-country program,” Morley said.

Between sponsorships from businesses and individuals, private donations and registration fees ranging from $15 to $20, the cross country team garnered enough money from the event to fund the program for a year.

It costs $4,773 to fund the program annually. Prior to the event, Loeffler and assistant coach Jessica Johnson had offered to forfeit their salaries to help cut the cost by $2,635.

Since there is enough money left over from the fundraising, they have agreed to take a salary though, following the urging of those involved with the program.

“It was really cool to see the community come out and support us and to have so many people come down from Kalispell and come from other towns and run,” Lane Thole, who will be a sophomore on the Bigfork cross-country team this year, said.

Aja Starkey, an incoming freshman at Polson High School, was the fastest among the women with a time of 19:30. Starkey placed 13th overall. She received a hand-crafted canoe paddle as a trophy. Her sister, senior Mesa Starkey, was injured but still registered to donate the money to the program.

“She was cheering and volunteering at the event,” Seeley said.

Juniors Laura Barta and Chelsee Cree, senior Danni Howlett, and sophomore Whitney Zimmerman ran from the Polson cross country team while junior Alex Nystrom and Jimmy Bjorge ran from the boy’s side.

The teams loaded up in vans at 6:45 a.m. in the morning to go up to Bigfork. Not an easy task during the lazy summer months.

“It was kind of early in the morning to get them going,” Seeley said.

However it was worth it  to the athletes on the Bigfork cross country team, who got to see the wealth of support first-hand as they helped run the event.

“I think it’s really cool that there’s so many people in the community that want to support our school’s cross-country program,” Evan Jordt, who will be a senior on the Bigfork cross country team, said. “You don’t really see the support as much during the year, but this was great to see.”

Bigfork Eagle sports editor Jordan Dawson contributed to this article.