Get Out and Live! Volunteer for a Community Event

May 20, 2015: Runners and volunteers gathered at 

Weber County Sports Complex to prepare for the big day.

Were you inspired by camaraderie and excitement of the Ogden Marathon but maybe a 26.2 mile run isn't for you? It's possible to catch that feeling by signing up to be a volunteer at one of the many events sponsored by GOAL (Get Out and LIVE!) in our community.

Kevin Burns has been a volunteer at GOAL Foundation for 11 years and claims it happened by accident. Burns was working for the Sheriff’s Office at the Ogden Marathon in 2004 and he says, “I just thought things could run a little smoother between the event organizer and public safety.”

When he offered to help out with event communication, he landed a spot on the GOAL Foundation Board. Burns used to compete in running events, but he decided that this was another great way to get involved.

As a part of his public safety liaison position, Burns’ role in the marathon this year was to help coordinate with public safety services at the event such as the fire department, EMS, police departments, and Utah Highway Patrol. His responsibility is to make the event as safe as possible. He says, “I just make sure we get all the right players for the table.”

Other volunteer duties included preparing water bottles for water stations and forming packets containing a runner’s guide, clothing bag, bib, and t-shirt. There were also volunteers who worked at every aid station, set up the course on Friday, put together the start and finish areas, and cleaned up after the event concluded.

Burns says that in a typical year there are 1,100 volunteers for the Ogden Marathon and that number remained about the same this year. The number of runners also remained about the same as previous years including roughly 2,500 running the full marathon, 4,500 running the half marathon, and 1,000 running the 5k. Other events individuals can get involved in are the 10k, a relay race, the Kid’s K and the Mayor's Walk. Burns says they maxed out capabilities for marathon this year. Bussing 10,000 runners to the start line at 5:00 a.m. Saturday was a significant task. “Logistically it’s about as many people as we can move,” Burns says, “We have about every bus we can find to get everyone up there.”

   

A big attraction to the marathon is the opportunity to run through Ogden Canyon. Runners have the entire west lane to run in so they don’t have to worry about being hit by a car. Burns says, “If you have not had a chance to be out of your vehicle in Ogden Canyon and look up or hear the river, it’s just cool to run down that canyon.”

The goal of the marathon is to draw the community together. The “GOAL” in GOAL Foundation stands for “Get Out and Live.” Burns feels that this phrase does not just apply to runners in the marathon as some might believe. There are other opportunities to get involved like volunteering, or simply being outdoors with people while being active.

To learn more information about GOAL and how to be a part of the team, visit http://www.getoutandlive.org/