Vibing Like 6-7 for Movember in November
Last November, I conquered thirty-three miles of running and began the journey to grow a beard. This November, I achieved my goal to run thirty-four miles, venturing back to the Mike Nolan 5K in South Glens Falls and the Run for Kids 5K in Hudson Falls, embarked on my inaugural participation in the Gobble Wobble 5K, continued running and collecting trash with the Glens Falls Run Club on Tuesday evenings, and enjoyed longer trail runs with local runners on the weekends. Each step of the journey showcased the breath of the unique places in upstate New York and the people that make our community special. This month not only raised money for the Movember organization but other organizations, like Open Door Mission, South Glens Falls Faculty Association, and Hudson Falls Rotary Club.
The Movember organization has helped fund documentaries and online tools to provide guides to overcoming mental hurtles with connection. Their financial assistance with the Ken Burn’s documentary, Hiding in Plain Sight, has illuminated the variety of mental illnesses, like depression, anxiety, and addiction, as well as the treatments available. The Movember Conversations online tool helps instill confidence and knowledge for tackling tough conversations, like heartbreak, isolation, stress, and aging. Created by licensed psychologists, it utilizes basic tenements of connection to allow people to feel heard, share vulnerabilities, and build relationships. The organization continues to sponsor grants for veterans and first-responders as well as workshops to bring people together throughout the world.
It started with the first Sunday of the month, running with friends and neighbors at the South Glens Falls High School in memory of Mike Nolan. He was an English teacher of thirty-three years at Oliver Winch Junior High School and a basketball, track, and cross-country coach. He passed away in 2010 after a five-year battle with lung cancer, but his positive and philanthropic attitude turned despair into a nonprofit organization to support lung cancer research and support programs. Throughout his tenure as a teacher and coach, he has inspired thousands of students, two of which, Heather and Taylor, are a part of the Glens Falls Run Club. His legacy of uplifting generations continues with this race where proceeds go to the South Glens Falls Faculty Association to award scholarships for graduates.
Mike Nolan’s legacy shines bright throughout the South Glens Falls community and beyond. My grandfather, a teacher and coach as well, passed away last year, working twenty years as a physical education teacher in the Delran, New Jersey school district. Both men have changed the lives of countless students, their lasting legacy transcending their communities. We all have the power to imbue positive legacies onto the world, just like these great men. It all starts with a single kind act to help one another.
Two weeks later, I carpooled with my neighbor, Carissa O’Rourke, to the Hudson Falls Rotary’s Run for Kids 5K. For the past four years, the race has combined two events that had been a tradition in the area for decades. One of the races, started in 1984, began with Anthony Luciano, or Coach Tony as his students called him. His life was full of academic, service, and fitness achievements, from his three years in the Marine Corp in 1943, setting the two-mile relay team record in 1943 at 7:32.9, as well as coaching Hudson Falls basketball and cross-country teams, securing 335 and 221 wins respectively. He also was a Town Recreation Commission Director for thirty-two years and a former Deputy Mayor of Hudson Falls. In 1996, a monument in Darby Park was dedicated in his honor in recognition of his love and dedication to the town. He passed away at 91 in September of 2012, but his legacy continues to inspire with this annual charity race.
The other event, Operation Santa, has been around for fifty-one years, started by one Hudson Falls school teacher, Frank Munoff, to provide clothing and food for underprivileged children. It has grown to raise over $278,000 since 2021 and helps nearly 2,500 children every year. Operation Santa has spurred countless fundraising efforts throughout the area, not only from this race. Given the distressing and tumultuous time for social services, charities like Operation Santa are as important as ever.
For local runners in the area, this year’s race is partly dedicated to the recent passing of Cathy Biss. Less than one week before the race, the Adirondack Runners were informed of her tragic death. She was a board member and active participant in the local community for decades. As her obituary lovingly mentions, "[she] was always in motion, walking, hiking, biking, and swimming — completing hundreds of races and events." I had saw her last at the annual Goblin Gallop race in October. Thirty minutes before the race began, the president of the group, Dee Endieveri, invited everyone in the local running community to gather for a moment of silence to honor and remember Cathy Biss. This tragic event certainly illuminates the deeply human condition that tomorrow is promised to no one. We have to always live our lives to the fullest, and for Cathy, that was certainly what she did.
On Thanksgiving morning, I headed to Open Door Mission in Glens Falls for my inaugural participation in their Gobble Wobble 5K., as I had worked on holiday the preceding five years. Open Door Mission, founded in 1991, serves more than 3,250 meals a month, with shelters and programs for those affected by homelessness, addiction, and poverty, regardless of race, sexual orientation, creed, national origin, or religion. The director of the organization, Jamie Munyon, had completed a unique challenge in October where he setup a camera by a bench, recording conversations around homelessness for twenty-four hours. The recorded livestream is available on social media, showcasing a broad range of people that are involved in the community. As the Federal administration orchestrates radical changes to social services, the tireless work of helping others becomes even more important. Open Door Mission, along with other non-profit organizations like the Wait House and Salvation Army, continue to become a beacon of hope for those struggling to survive in Glens Falls, New York.
The timeless feelings of gratitude were on my mind throughout the month. I know that I am eternally grateful for my life. Since last year, my reinvigorated, bearded persona has cultivated a sense of appreciation, confidence, and determination, personally and professionally. The mental health journey that started in September of 2024 has propelled my life into uncharted territory, from running for Glens Falls City Council, freelance writing for Buying Local, and becoming a framed photographer for the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council. I am excited about the future, a sentiment that was always hard to believe for my overly anxious mind. While we might not know what the future will look like, we can make sure that our present moment is filled with hope, compassion, and community.
I am proud of conquering the distance, as Rocky Balboa has said, and raising money for lots of incredible organizations. As the cold winter takes hold in December, always remember to keep warm and bright for a world shrouded in darkness.
