OUR HISTORY

The meeting location was eventually moved to the Melrose Branch YMCA in Walnut Hills. The number of Black runners and walkers continued to increase, and the club became involved with YMCA programs. ARC coined the phrase “Feet in the Street” to name the 5K foot race ARC organized and directed to support raising funds for youth programming at the Melrose Y. The club has also organized and directed races and fun walks for the Marva Collins College Prep (come Cleaster Mims and now closed) charter school, the Sickle Cell Anemia support group, the Avondale Community Council, YMCA Summerfest, Moms on the Move and the Center for Closing the Health Gap.

The Club awarded its first $1,000 scholarship to the YMCA youth Black Achievers program in 2007. The scholarship was awarded to college bound high school students. In 2007 the Avondale Running Club dedicated itself to making a difference in the Avondale Community Council's effort to promote good health in the community. The club organized and led a 5K fitness walk to launch the annual community Festival and Health Fair. The club also sponsored Miles for Moms, a 1-mile walk for moms and their little ones. In 2008 the Center for Closing the Health Gap contracted with ARC to develop a model walking program for the Walnut Hills and Norwood Neighborhoods.

We have made charitable donations to the Masonic Learning Center benefiting children with Dyslexia, and Re/Max Miracle Miles, benefiting the children’s Miracle Network, an alliance of premier hospitals for children. The Hirsch Recreation Center, Girls CAN, Girls on the run, the Red Cross and Katrina Hurricane relief and the Avondale Youth Council have all been recipients of ARC financial support. ARC is also an annual sponsor of the Avondale Indians knothole baseball teams, providing awards and trophies to all participants. The Cincinnati Diamonds, girls fast pitch softball also enjoys ARC financial support.

The club participated in the 1998 inaugural Flying Pig Marathon by staffing a fluid station to provide fluids for runners at about the five-mile location on the 26.2-mile course. This event proved to be a big turning point for the ARC. The Pig fluid station created the opportunity for visibility and a consistent means of raising funds to support the clubs charitable activities. More than 60 club members and friends participated in staffing that first fluid station. In 2006 marathon participants voted the ARC fluid station the most enthusiastic. ARC placed second in 2007 voting and again claimed first place in 2008 voting. In 2007 the Flying Pig Marathon staff asked ARC to staff two fluid stations in recognition of the efficient and enthusiastic way we organize and run a fluid station. ARC is the only organization to staff two stations in one event. ARC has also been enlisted to assist other organizations new to the event to organize their fluid station.

In 2005 ARC established a presence on the World Wide Web and began to receive attention and inquiries from the local and regional racing and walking community. ARC is located on the web at www.avondalerunningclub.com. ARC became affiliated with the National Black Marathoner's Association, NBMA, in 2005 and has a seat on NBMA's board of a directors. ARC is one of the largest affiliated clubs to participate in the annual NBMA targeted marathon events around the country. We had a significant presence at the inaugural event in St. Louis in 2005 and at each annual event since.

In 2008 ARC members accompanied State Senator Kearney during the first five miles of his walk from downtown Cincinnati to the State House in Columbus. The senator walked to raise awareness in infant mortality. Club members also drove to State House in Columbus and walked out to meet Senator Kearney and accompany him on the last five miles of his 105 mile the journey to his office in the State House.