On Oct. 24, Geddes Road was filled with laughing, singing and dancing. The CHS Service Club met at 6:45 a.m. to volunteer with the Miles Jeffery Roberts Foundation (MJRF).
The Service Club worked at the aid station located at miles two and 15 for the Probility Ann Arbor Marathon. They filled and handed out hundreds of cups filled with water and Gatorade to marathon runners.
With a variety of running events—a full marathon, a half-marathon and a 10k—the Service Club stayed for five hours until the last runner had passed.
The race began at 8:00 a.m. but volunteers arrived much earlier to set up tables, place posters and prepare the drinks. It was still dark outside when Emmy Chung arrived. She joined the Service Club because she thinks it is important to connect with her community and to create a stronger bond with her classmates.
“I really love giving back to the community,” Chung said. “It was such a fun experience to be able to help others while spending time with my friends. I think [volunteering] is so important and should be prioritized more than it is. We’re joining together and forming a team; we unite to create a better world for others.”
Ellie Fife enjoyed spending her morning giving service back to others and watching the marathon gave Fife a sense of satisfaction. “Handing out waters was small but impactful,” Fife said. “Each runner pushed through and battled the run. It showed me all their hard work and dedication toward the marathon. Seeing the faces of the runners as they saw our aid station made me feel like I was having an impact on them. Each runner was so thankful and it made me feel like my work paid off.”