#LetterToTheEditor #DelmarDash #SpotlightNews
Dear Editor,
I have lived in the great town of Bethlehem most of my life. Outside of a few years in Rhode Island attaining my undergraduate degree and the start of my career, I moved right back into a town approximately one-quarter of a mile from where I grew up. Old Delmar continues to be my home while our family business planted roots in 1987 on New Scotland Road in Slingerlands. So you could say I am a proud Delmartian.
One of the many community events our firm Bryant Asset Protection supports is the Delmar Dash. This year will be the 30th running of The Dash and our firm has been the main sponsor for 15 years. Each year as I get closer to the Dash I realize the importance of community. The combination of the kids race at the dash, young families with strollers along the sidewalk of the middle school cheering on the start and the many folks in town that bring out their cowbells to cheer as the runners pass by. I say more cowbells this year.
For some anniversary years do not hold much significance. I on the other hand I believe them to be the clock that creates a purposeful basis of the meaning of life. Between getting this 60-year-old body going to train for the race and the thought of running right past my house where I can wave to my neighbors, it is one of the highlights of my year.
Massage tables before and after the race are a true bonus. Our thanks to Back in Balance. The race takes many volunteers and our current race director Dave Tromp has many hours into the race to make this years another huge success. It is important for me to thank former race directors Tom and Marsha Adams along with Hudson Mohawk Running Club Maureen Cox who still continues to help make the race a huge event for our town. The Spotlight has always been a great supporter of the race as well with a number of articles over the years showing the community of runners crossing the finish line.
So to all you Bethlehem runners and non-runners, it is time to lace up your shoes, pray for sunny weather and a healthy heart. This year let’s make the Delmar Dash the best ever with support from the neighbors along the route cheering the runners on. Feel free to make noise, provide positive verbal support and bang those cowbells. Because the success of any foot race is more cowbell!
Mark T. Bryant,
Delmar native