Welcome Runners!
(Talk of the Town photo by Jennifer Zartman Romano)
A large group of volunteers convened this evening in downtown Columbia City to warmly welcome participants in the 2011 Veterans Marathon, which begins tomorrow at 8 a.m. on West Van Buren Street. Above, standing far left, Welcome Committee members Dottie Cole, Kay Fleck and Mayor Jim Fleck welcome racers and assist with registration. The committee also provided direction on popular local eateries, great places to shop and offered insight into where to park. This is the second year for the Welcome Committee, a group geared at providing a great first impression for runners arriving in the community. Registration kicked off at 3 p.m. today and continued until 9 p.m. this evening. Participants may also register tomorrow morning before the 8 a.m. start time.