The organizers of Cove to Clover, the 5k fundraiser race for the Highline Area Food Bank coming March 14th, are issuing a “friendly challenge” to the City of Burien, including councilmembers and city employees, to sign-up to offset city fees that are being charged to stage the event.

Fees that are not being charged by the other city involved in the race, Normandy Park.

Did we mention that this event is a fundraiser, and last year raised $12,000 for the Highline Area Food Bank?

And that John Nelson, the main organizer, is one of four recipients for the City of Burien’s 2010 Citizen Community Leader awards being presented March 6th?

And did we mention that the City of Normandy Park is NOT charging any city fees for the event, which starts at their Community Club, so they have not been challenged?

Oh yeah, I guess we did.

Here’s the “friendly challenge” language from the Cove to Clover website:

Burien City Council: You just got served!

Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Council members,

Thanks for listening to my request last night to waive some fees for the race. I now understand that the fees can’t be waived and have been given some sage advice about how to offset these fees in future year.

However, for this year I have a proposal.

I happened to be at the NP Council Meeting when Rose Clark issued a friendly challenge to the Normandy Park Council to enter a team for the very worthy Relay for Life.

Since I’m new to this game, I’m stealing a play from your own playbook. From Normandy Park, I’m issuing my own friendly challenge to the Burien City Council and City Staff.

I’m challenging every member of the council to secure at least 2 registrations for the 2010 Cove to Clover. I especially encourage you to personally walk or run the race yourselves and to bring a new friend. It will be a lot of fun and I’d love to see our leaders all out there partaking in the goodness.

When you find a victim that is willing to register, make sure they enter “BTOWN” in the “Reg Code” field of the online or paper entry form to get official challenge credit. You can make an extra donation to the cause while registering which will also go to the challenge. You can pick up a paper form at Mick Kelly’s or register at www.covetoclover.com.

For your convenience, I setup a webpage to track the progress of the challenge (www.covetoclover.com/btown). It will be updated daily.

I know your team can do this and will have fun in the process.

Thanks for your consideration,
John Nelson

PS: Next year, we can get NP and Burien into a head-to-head competition but I’ve learned to take baby steps first.

Click here to see how much the City has raised so far (updated nightly).

[EDITOR'S NOTE: as of 6pm Thurs. Feb. 25th, the total amount raised by the City of Burien = $0.00].

To register and for all the race info, visit www.covetoclover.com.

It’ll be interesting to see if, and how, the City of Burien will respond…

• Will they suddenly find a way to waive the fees?
• Will city employees suddenly sign-up en masse?
• Will we see Mayor McGilton and Mike Martin running down SW 152nd?

We’ll keep ya posted…

Photo and Story by Scott Schaefer

On Sunday afternoon (4/19) an oversized check for $12,000 was presented to (from left), Mike Werle, Executive Director of the Highline Area Food Bank, along with Normandy Park Mayor Shawn McEvoy, from Mick Purdy, co-owner of Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub, and John Nelson, Organizer of the event.

Despite requests from passersby, there was no evidence of an oversized deposit slip, nor any visible signs of Ed McMahon.

It was all part of a celebration that was held at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub Sunday for volunteers who helped make March 15th’s first-ever “Cove to Clover” 5k run such a huge success. Free food and beverages were provided by the popular Irish Pub, which is quickly becoming the de facto fundraising headquarters of Burien (Mick’s holds at least one major fundraiser per quarter).

“The total raised was a huge surprise,” said Mike Werle, Executive Director of the Highline Area Food Bank. “I was hoping for maybe $5,000 tops, but when Mick told me the final tally, I was amazed. Just amazed.”

The $12,000 raised was the most raised for the Highline Food Bank from one event over the last year, eclipsing February’s “Empty Bowls” fundraiser, which raised nearly $11,000.

Despite the economy, monetary donations for the Highline Food Bank are actually up this year, while food donations are down, and the number of families served has increased by 27%, from 720 per month to 900.

If you and your business wants to help collect food or have a fundraiser for the food bank, call Mike Werle at 206-433-9900 and he’ll be happy to have your participation as a Highline Food Bank drop-off point or bring a barrel to your fundraiser.

Mike is looking forward to the National Letter Carriers food drive on May 9th. Every year Highline Food Bank receives 20,000-30,000 pounds of food from Burien neighbors. To participate, all you have to do is leave non-perishable food donations at your mailbox on that date.

Next year’s “Cove to Clover” run is already scheduled for Sunday, March 14, 2010, so be sure to mark your calendars and start training now! More information, as well as numerous shout-outs to local sponsors, can be seen at the updated “Cove to Clover” website, which has this groovy poster artwork:

Despite a day which started with snow in some places and a dreadful downpour just about everywhere else, around 300 runners participated in the first-ever “Cove to Clover” 5K Race Sunday morning, which started near the Normandy Park Community Club and ended at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub (BTB Advertiser) in Burien.

Here are some photos from race day as taken by Scott Schaefer and Janet Grella:

According to Mick Purdy, co-owner of Mick Kelly’s, $12,000 was raised for the Highline Area Food Bank!

Highline Food Bank Director Mike Werle was there also, cheering runners as they crossed the finish line.

The race was organized by area resident John Nelson, who spent around six months along with 100 or so volunteers to pull this off.

The starting gun was fired by Normandy Park Mayor Shawn McEvoy, an Irishman if ever there was one. On a humorous side note, Mayor McEvoy kept the starter’s pistol with him in the pace car up to Mick Kelly’s. Organizers had to race up and retrieve it from him just in time for the priest to fire the starting shot for the Kid’s Race at St. Francis School.

Ryan Merle, 33, of Port Townsend, won the race in 20:15, beating 2nd-place finisher Paul Huynh by 50 seconds. Photo by Janet Grella.

Here are race results as posted at the finish line (Name, City, Age, Time):

MEN:

1. Ryan Merle, Port Townsend: 33, 20:15
2. Paul Huynh, Seattle, 17, 21:05
3. Justin Merle, Kent, 30, 21:58
4. Joe Baisch, Seattle, 26, 22:21
5. Nick Baisch, Seattle, 23, 22:27
6. Louis Bull, Seattle, 50, 22:55
7. DJ Tarrant, Seattle, 18, 23:19
8. Erik Willanger, Seattle, 29, 23:28
9. Peter Brant, Seattle, 37, 23:47
10. Douglas R. Cox, Jr., Seattle, 32, 23:53

WOMEN:

1. Dinelle Pineda, Seattle, 30, 24:21
2. Patrice Hardy, Seattle, 43, 24:38
3. Natalie D’Arnico, Seattle, 22, 24:57
4. Cindy Sagmoen, Seattle, 41, 24:59
5. Regina Mutter, Seattle, 42, 25:08
6. Denise Sagmoen, Seattle, 37, 25:10
7. Staci Braun, Seattle, 40, 25:34
8. Marian Brennan, Seattle, 36, 25:44
9. Hayley Fulton, Seattle, 22, 25:56
10. Lisa Cowden, Seattle, 47, 26:50

The first-ever “Clove to Clover” 5K Run, a benefit for the Highline Area Food Bank, will take place this Sunday morning, March 15th, starting at the Normandy Park Beach Cove and ending at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub in downtown Burien, and here are some important notes:

• The entire race course will close at different times during the race, so check out the map below and plan accordingly if you’re driving anywhere between The Cove and Mick Kelly’s Sunday morning:

If you’re planning on registering for the race, there’s still time to do so online at the Clove to Clover website – but the deadline is 11pm Friday March 13th, and 5K entrants will be limited to 250.

RACE DETAILS:

• Race-day packets can be picked up at race start area (for the Kid’s Race at St. Francis, for 5K at the Cove).
• RACE-DAY REGISTRATION WILL ONLY BE CONDUCTED AT THE 5K START LINE AND WILL BE CLOSED AT 10:45 AM.
• KID’S RACE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO RACE DAY.
• Kids, you can now look forward to your very own “Root Beer Garden,” sponsored by Goody Gumdrops and featuring FREE root beer.
• 5K Start Line @ The Cove (begins promptly at 11:00 AM):

Normandy Park Community Club
1500 SW Shorebrook Drive
Normandy Park, WA 98166

• Snake Hill Shuttle loads at the 5K Start Line at 11:10am (line up behind the 5K runners). The boarding area will be at the Start Line after all runners have left the area. Those pre-paid riders should line up behind the runners wave. Shuttle drop-off will be at the Gregory Heights Pool (1st Water Station) which is approximately 2 miles from the finish line on relatively flat ground! Perfect for walkers who want to support the cause.
• Family Race Start Line (begins promptly at 11:45 AM):

St. Francis of Assisi Church
2103 SW 152nd St
Burien, WA 98166

• Awards for 12 and under only in the Kid’s Race. However, parents are encouraged to run with their kids and all entries are welcomed.
• Finish Line (and Mick Kelly’s Beer Garden):

Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub
435 SW 152nd Avenue
Burien, WA 98166

• Award Ceremony to follow the race at the finish line ASAP.

Here’s a map of the starting line near the Normandy Park Cove:

And as if that isn’t enough info for ya, here’s a video of the entire course, from start to finish (minus the doubling over from “Snake Hill” and drinking at Mick Kelly’s afterwards) shot by area resident Francis Doniego:

More information available at the Clove to Clover website.

A “brand spankin’ new” St. Patrick’s Day run called “Cove to Clover” is coming up Sunday, March 15th, starting at the Normandy Park Community Club (“The Cove”) and finishing at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub (complete with a beer garden to quench those thirsty legs).

There will also be a mile long kid’s race beginning at St. Francis of Assisi Church and ending at Mick Kelly’s. Please note that registration for the Kid’s Race will take place at The Cove in Normandy Park.

The race will be held on Sunday, March 15 @ 11 am on the same day as Seattle’s massive Patty’s Day Dash. This race will be a refreshingly smaller alternative to what the Paddy’s Day Dash has become. Beware though, this annual race will surely become infamous because the first mile is all uphill and attains 800 vertical feet; locals know it as “Snake Hill”.

Here are the details:

WHAT: “Cove to Clover” 5K Run & Kids’ Race

WHEN: Sunday, March 15th starting at 11am

WHERE: Starts at the Normandy Park Beach Cove and ends at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub (see actual route map below).

INFO: You can get more information and register online at www.covetoclover.com, or contact John Nelson (jonelson@adobe.com) the race director for more info about the race if you’d like.

All proceeds will benefit the Highline Area Food Bank.

If you’re not into that much suffering a “hill shuttle” option will be offered when you register.

5K Start Line (begins promptly at 11:00 AM):

Normandy Park Community Club (“The Cove”)
1500 SW Shorebrook Drive
Normandy Park, WA 98166

Snake Hill Shuttle loads at the 5K Start Line at 11:10 am (line up behind the 5K runners):

The boarding area will be at the Start Line after all runners have left the area. Those pre-paid riders (registration option) should line up behind the runners wave. Shuttle drop-off will be at the Gregory Heights Pool (1st Water Station) which is approximately 2 miles from the finish line on relatively flat ground!

Perfect for walkers who want to support the cause.

1-Mile Kids Race Start Line (begins promptly at 11:45 AM):

St. Francis of Assisi Church
2103 SW 152nd St
Burien, WA 98166

The organizers promise bag piping on the course to boot, so come out and support the community (or at least quaff a pint and pretend you ran the entire race).