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| Volume XXV, Number 2 | February 6, 2004 |
By Susan Etxebarria
BRIGHTON — Sharing in the excitement of the intense, yet friendly, competition at the Fourth Annual Reservation Rally, a walking and running race to promote diabetes awareness.
One tribal elder’s motivation to participate was not the prize money or a free pair of Nike® shoes for her completion of the course. Brighton resident Agnes Jumper maneuvered her wheelchair along the 3.1 mile course with one purpose in mind.
“I do this for diabetes,” she said after being the first to cross the finish line in the Wheelchair Category. “I lost a leg about 10 years ago and I hope more young people get more education. I hope they learn about diabetes.”
Jumper said she has suffered from diabetes for 36 years and back then the tribe did not know how severely this disease would strike Native Americans. She said she wanted to serve as an example that diet and exercise will prevent what happened to her.
“The way the young people are walking and running today, if they do this, I hope they won’t get diabetes later,” she said.
The enthusiastic 713 participants showed up in the early morning hours to test their physical fitness on Saturday Jan. 17, enduring the shivering early-morning cold and then sweating from the sun as it warmed up during the race.
Before the race began, words of encouragement came from the tribal representatives of each reservation.
“It is good to have friendly competition,” said Hollywood Tribal Representative Max Osceola Jr. “But, today, it is not just teams from Brighton, Hollywood, Tampa, Immokalee and Big Cypress competing against each other. Today we are also team Seminole.”
“You are here to prove something,” he continued. “You are proving we are here for our health.”
Regarding the challenge of the race, he brought a laugh to the crowd when he said: “The last time I ran this far, I was chasing girls.”
It was evident this event was a family affair with many moms and dads pushing their babies in the stroller category. Rachel Smith of Big Cypress pushed her baby, Julia, in the stroller category, while her husband, Mike, and son, Robert, walked.
“This is about staying healthy, staying clean, no drugs, no alcohol,” Smith said.
Parents set the example bringing their older children and doing the rally with them. Brighton resident Matt Gopher walked in the race as did his two daughters, Shemi and Shay. Gopher said he had gained weight and this walk was motivation for him to start an exercise program again.
“We have a tribe with a lot of diabetes which leads to poor health,” Gopher said.
Sisters Lorraine Posada and Lenora Roberts competed against each other as well as the other reservations. Posada placed 3rd in the runner’s division, while Roberts placed 4th.
“My sister won last year so I wanted to keep up with her,” said Posada. “We come from one of the smaller communities; we wanted to put Immokalee on the Seminole map. I have been practicing all year and it paid off.”
Last year’s first place winner, Lalo Rodriguez, representing Brighton, came in second in the race this year. Just ahead of him by a few yards for the entire race was first place runner, Jordan Jones, who had placed second in last year’s race.
Jones said he did not practice the course, but he stays in shape playing basketball during the year. This tall, lanky ninth grader ran the course in 12 minutes, 47 seconds. Rodriguez said they switched places this year but he looks forward to 2005 when he will try to take back first place.
No event this large and successful happens accidentally. Sponsors and organizers started planning for this event in October. There were many people involved, but most important were the team captains of each reservation who worked at getting as large a turnout as possible.
The captains for Big Cypress were: Candy Cypress, Cathy Cypress, Cherelee Hall, Vera Herrera, Rochelle Osceola, and Clea Billie. Brighton/Tampa: Terry Hahn, Patty Waldron, Amanda Smith and Lonnie Gore. From Hollywood/Ft. Pierce/Trail: Bo Young, Jo North, Holly Tiger and Diane Buster. Immokalee/Naples: David Billie and Maria Billie.
Sponsors included the Chairman and Tribal Representatives, the President’s Office and Board Representatives, the Seminole Tribe Recreation and Health Department, and Nike, Inc. Numerous volunteers included the Seminole Police Department, Seminole Fire Rescue, and the Glades County Emergency Medical Service.
Perhaps the closing words of the master of ceremonies, John Madrigal, said it all.
“We went from 629 participants last year to 713 this year,” he said. “Next year let’s make it 1,000.”
Then he reminded everyone why they ran, why they walked, and that winning wasn’t the most important thing.
“We are glad to see you taking care of your health,” Madrigal said. “We are glad you came out. This makes your heart strong – and that makes the tribe strong. The only way you can lose is by not showing up.”
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