Jog with Judy is today
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This year will mark our 6th Annual Jog with Judy Road Race in Woodstock, Ct. The Woodstock community lost Judy Nilan, a social worker at Woodstock Middle School, while she was jogging near her home. She is still and will forever be missed by her friends, family and colleagues.
This road race was developed by the staff at the Woodstock Public School system to honor Judy and to give everyone a way to remember her in a positive manner. She loved to run/jog, so it seemed perfect. Three teachers, Chris Mayhew, Jen Prather and I took on the challenge of organizing this road race. (Jen Prather has taken a leave of absence and Sandy Sanderson has replaced her). We were so astonished to see over 800 people come to the first race. What makes this race special are the volunteers and donations from businesses that give generously to help keep this wonderful day alive. Last year, our 5th year, we had about 720 people come out and support the race.
Each year, we gather at the beginning of Roseland Park Road ready to begin the race and share memories of Judy. All the hours we put into organizing the race finally ends and we can see our efforts shine. It is an amazing day even if the weather is not great. There is food, music, balloons, smiling faces and people from all over. I, personally, will never forget the first race we had. The runners and walkers were told to start and I watched this huge sea of people going down the road. It was quite a sight. I stood there shocked to see so many people coming out to give their respect for Judy and what she believed in.
Judy was a social worker at Woodstock Middle School. This is where I met her and watched her as she planned activities for the students. She was passionate about programs that were geared towards character education as well as drug/alcohol awareness programs. She also liked programs that helped students improve their self-esteem. When she organized a project, she did it BIG. She knew that for such programs to work, you must to get the attention of kids.
All money collected (excluding race expenses) is put into a Judy Nilan fund. Any teacher/staff member in the Woodstock Public School system may fill out a request for funding of a project that fits into the category of character education, self-esteem, and drug/alcohol awareness. Each request must be written out in detail and show how the funds are going to be used. There is a committee comprised of the race coordinators, the principal, the social worker and the school psychologist. We meet and discuss each request and vote to allocate funds for the project.
I speak for Chris and Sandy when I say that we are very proud of the work we do and it makes us feel great to know that we are part of something so important that will benefit children hopefully for years to continue. Teachers are with students for 7-8 hours a day, and we know how important it is to educate them with programs that show them how to deal with the stress of growing up in a whole different world than the one in which we were raised.
Come join us, April 30th for the 6th Annual Jog with Judy 5-K Road Race. Runners will start promptly at 10:00 a.m. and walkers will start a few minutes later. Walkers can bring their dog or even their baby strollers if they would like. But, most importantly, bring your smile.
Respectfully,
Susan Rioux
5th Grade Teacher
JWJ Race Coordinator
If you are interested in sponsoring the race or would like to have an application to run or walk, please log on to www.woodstockschools.net and look for the Jog with Judy pull-down menu. Here, you will find a race form to download and a sponsor form to fill out.
Sadly one of our two articles published in December 2005 was in reaction to the sad event. Use the archives to find it in the left sidebar. Admin
The story of Judy Nilan and “Jog with Judy” spans the history of the Cafe. I still remember the shock that we felt which is expressed in Becki’s article in December of 2005. When we started this website we had no idea that it would catch on in the community or that we would write so many articles or publish so many articles by others. Like the Cafe, Jog with Judy is a phenomenon unique to Woodstock that hopefully will never end. It would be nice if somehow we could expand this event with greater participation from the surrounding towns.
Becki and I plan to be there for the first time. Saturday AM April 30th.
I have a question that I hope someone can answer. It is a fact that this race takes in upwards of $30,000 every year. Does anyone know how this money is used, and who is in stewardship of it? I have heard that this money is used to “sponsor programs” that Judy favored, but this is a lot of money, and I wonder if there is any checks and balances somewhere concerning this.
I am one of the coordinators of this race and I am on the committee that decides how the money is spent, so I would like to answer some questions. First, I need to make a slight correction on your statement. The race doesn’t take in upwards of $30,000 a year. The most it has taken in after race expenses was last year and it was about $14,000. Money collected is allocated for and is deposited at the superintendent’s office in the Judy Nilan account.Race expenses are documented and paid for through the fund. Each time a staff member fills out a form detailing how their requested money will be used, the committee reviews each request and decides if it fits into the criteria of the Judy Nilan Fund. You can always ask the superintendent’s office for a copy of the request form we use and The Judy Nilan Fund Criteria. The committee is comprised of the principal, our school social worker, school psychologist, and the three race coordinators. We all volunteer our time to make sure this race is successful every year to improve the quality of character education the students of Woodstock will receive. We also have this race for people who loved Judy to come together for a good cause and to remember her. It is important to many friends, family and collegues. Hope you can join us.:)
Susan, I am at the race with my kids every year! Thank You for answering my question, and most especially, for not getting defensive about it. I imagine I am not the only one who has wondered about the money, but perhaps the only one who dared to ask.