Posted by Kerry Rehm on March 21, 2005 at 10:24:10:
Let me take this time to clear up some misconceptions made in previous posts concerning the food (cajun rice, fruit and yogurt) and "lack of" water at the ATR Expo.
First the food. The food was jambalaya not cajun rice. I had a couple of bowls myself and did not get sick (I drank some of the beer, too and still didn't get sick). The jambalaya consisted of sausage and chicken and rice..not "just" rice. In past years, the ATR has had either red beans and rice or gumbo (this was for about 3 years recently because it was a donated product from Azalea Seafood & Gumbo). I thought the jambalaya that Aramark served for Senior Bowl was good so I ordered it for the ATR for a "change of pace".
As for the fruit, bagels and yogurt...ya'll are thinking of another race. ATR has never provided these items at their expo in the four years that I have been Expo Director. The Senior Bowl race provides that because they are sponsored by.....who??.....Food World!! They can get all the fruit, bagels and yogurt they want because of that relationship with their sponsor. We are not so lucky. Senior Bowl has a paid staff that puts together their run. We don't!! We rely year after year on the "tired" group of familiar faces who volunteer to put on the ATR. Did you know that most of our committee members of the ATR have been working their positions for 10 to 15 years. We need alot of NEW FACES to step up, take over the reins and relieve these admirable volunteers of their hard-earned time.
Now for the "water" issue. Never in my many years of either running in the race or working as Expo Director, have I seen water inside at the Expo. THE WATER IS AT THE FINISH LINE - ALL UP AND DOWN CHURCH STREET. But if you can't make it back outside then please look for the concession stand (which this year was located just outside the north end of the Arena floor) for your water needs. Aramark would be happy to accomodate your thirst needs. Just remember to bring in some money because the concession stand is not free.
We hope you enjoyed this year's race and expo, otherwise, and will join us again next year (March 24 & 25, 2006) for the 29th annual run.