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Living Life After 50
2
Elko Edition REaching ElkhaRt, kosciusko, noblE and lagRangE countiEs
April 2024
Vol. 37, No. 2
www.seniorlifenewspapers.com RABBIT-GRABBIT — Brian Shepherd, right, organizes 5K races in area such as the RabbitGrabbit in 2021. From left are Elias Rojas, top overall; the Easter Bunny; Frank Pizana, Master’s winner; Reece and Quinn Schwartz, half-mile participants; Robby Gingerich, overall runnerup; and Shepherd, Grand Master winner and race organizer. All proceeds from the race were given to the Milford Food Bank. File photo.
Brian Shepherd combines
love for running with food bank By NATHAN PACE Staff Writer Brian Shepherd began running races when he was 12-years-old. Now at 58, he has nearly a half century of running experiences to build on. “I still run races. Fitness has always been something that’s important to me. The more you can spread the good news about staying fit, staying active as you get older. I’m 58 now but I’m still out there everyday. I personally run about 50-55 miles a week,” Shepherd said. Shepherd lives and works in Ligonier as the principal of the West Noble Primary School. Shepherd assists with a running club at the school to encourage good fitness habits for its students. Students keep track of the miles they’ve ran during the year and are rewarded for hitting certain milestones. “The most important thing you can teach a child is ‘you get one body so let’s
take care of it,’ so we have mileage clubs here at the school,” Shepherd said. “We have 50, 100 and 150. If you reach 50 miles we celebrate it on Mondays with that. If you make the 100 mile club we bring you up, we celebrate you and get a T-shirt. We just teach kids to be active.” While the understanding of how difficult it can be at times to find the motivation to run, Shepherd uses the connections through the club to keep moving and stay in shape. “We have a pretty good group here at the Ligonier track club. Yvette Rojas, probably the best female runner in Northern Indiana. She teaches here, teaches Kindergarten for us,” Shepherd said. “There’s always someone to run with in the community.” Shepherd also runs a company that manages area 5K races called RCC Timing. The company helps keep track of times of runners for a dozen races each year. His company has become a big help
to the Milford Food Bank to create fundraisers through 5K races. It all started when Bill Doege, director of operations at the Milford Food Bank, spoke at Shepherd’s church. Shepherd knew families at the West Noble Primary who were in need of food assistance. “That’s how the relationship formed. I called Doege and he started supplying us with food for our needy families,” Shepherd said. Shepherd now sits on the board for the Milford Food Bank and is thankful the community supports his fundraising efforts. “Overall in our little area, people will support our 5K races. The businesses the communities, they are behind us. In Milford there is always somebody that will support you,” Shepherd said. One fundraiser Shepherd uses for the Food Bank is the Rabbit-Grabbit race in Milford on April 6. The race features an Easter theme.
Over 70% of All Americans Over Age 65 Will Need Long-Term Care or End Up in A Nursing Home... At A Cost of Up To $10,000 Per Month. That Means Many Families Could Lose Much of Their Life Savings or Even Their Own Homes.
PROUD GRANDPA — Brian Shepherd poses for a photo with his two grandsons, Milo Croninger, left, and Evander George, after winning the Master Champion at the Team Schlem 5K in December. Photo provided by Brian Shepherd. The biggest race of the year Shepherd helps manage is the Syracuse Flotilla. The race on July 4 can see well over 300 people running. “The Flotilla is something else. It’s just a great event for Syracuse,” Shepherd said. Fundraisers for the food bank can take place outside of the Kosciusko County. Shepherd had a race in Kendallville back in February that showed just how well the area supports the food bank. “It was the coldest day in February but we still had 80-85 people show up. It was an outstanding day but it was freezing. They are so supportive,” Shepherd said. “It blows my mind how the community will back these events we do.”
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