Racing with the community for the Steel City Amazing Race
This article was originally published in McMaster University’s Alumni Blog in 2012.
On a rainy Saturday, it would be tempting to stay indoors and bundle up in blankets, while gazing outside as raindrops fall.
But my rainy Saturday experience on August 11 was nowhere close to that. Instead, I was out in sweats and sneakers, striding through the streets as I made my way to different community hotspots in Hamilton.
I was not alone though; 125 youths from ages 8-14 and 112 McMaster community members were in the same boat as me, exploring the city under a downpour of rain. It was for an amazing race, this time in the Steel City.
The inaugural Steel City Amazing Race was organized by the McMaster Athletes Care (MAC) program, partnering youths from the Boys and Girls Club and Eva Rothwell with McMaster community members, which resulted to a total of 21 teams. It aimed to promote healthy living, multiculturalism, teamwork, leadership and education, and by doing so, united everyone under the spirit of sports.
You don’t need to be an athlete to be in an amazing race. McMaster alumni and staff members were also involved in this race - and they came in all shapes and sizes. I had the pleasure of working with McMaster alumna Melanie Lafleur, who graduated from Economics and Finance.
As my "racer in crime," Melanie and I navigated the city, making pit stops at CHML, Dundurn Historic Castle, moving all the way up to the mountain to Mohawk College, and back to the downtown core at Careerworx!, a service to help youths in their job-search.
In my journey around the city, I crossed paths with many volunteers wearing different McMaster hats. Kewan Masud was one of them and he is not new to the volunteer scene. While he serves as a Volunteer Connections Student Success Leader at McMaster, he also finds time to volunteer outside of McMaster for Steel City. He represents a growing student population volunteering for the Hamilton community, not just for those within the ivory tower.
I encountered many athletes, including Graham McKelvie, from the McMaster rowing team. As I spoke with him under a crowded Marauder tent at Victoria Park, for CBC Hamilton's coverage of the event, I couldn't help noticing the atmosphere. It was boisterous and filled with energy, yet strongly contrasted by the heavy downpour of rain. Seeing these two conditions playing out in front of my eyes was deeply moving.
They say laughter is contagious, so is enthusiasm, and Steel City Amazing Race was nothing short of both. The two young racers in my team, Angel and Nya, were constantly on their feet, eager to make it to the next station as quickly as possible. They were always one step ahead of Melanie and I, both physically and mentally. Quick to recognize the station locations in our route, they pointed us to the right direction, while reassuring that we would soon reach our final destination of the race at Woodland Park for a community BBQ. I was humbled by their energetic and positive attitude. Nothing could seem to dampen their spirits, and certainly not the rain.
As I raced, I caught myself pausing frequently to photograph the moments of joy, laughter and excitement, all while balancing three pieces of luggage (mine and the kids'). These photos paint a strong picture of the sense of community and togetherness felt by us all, demonstrating the connection between McMaster and the broader Hamilton community. And I am glad I managed to experience that firsthand.