“So, you are a sponsor of the race?”
“YES!” To recognize the value of my in-kind design work as well as my contributions to digital marketing and social media, I asked to be included as a sponsor on the back of the 2022 Charlottesville Ten Miler shirt. For 14 years, I helped the Charlottesville Track Club (CTC) with graphic and web design, marketing, and event management. For 13 years, I supported five race directors (Alice Wiggins, Mike Inge, Maria Bell, Deb Gilbert, and Nicole Brimer) with the Charlottesville Ten Miler (CTM). I’m grateful and honored to have worked closely with people who valued my ideas, creativity, dedication, passion, and time. There aren’t enough words to describe how much it meant to me to see my “Twins Run in Our Family” logo on the backs of fellow runners as I ran this iconic race. I loved seeing the new CTC logo I designed (last year) at the top of the shirt, too! I’ve been struggling emotionally and financially since I lost my job of 22+ years in September 2020. During the 50+ interviews I’ve had since turning 50, I've always spoken about my volunteer work in the Charlottesville running community as my proudest accomplishment. During COVID-19 I devoted my time and talents to help Mark Lorenzoni promote the Charlottesville Track Club’s modified events during the pandemic and I especially enjoyed marketing and managing the C-VILLE-athon, Race Fest, Marathon and Half Marathon Training Program, Winter Training Program, the All-Comers Summer Track Meets, and Bruce Barnes Mile. During this time a conflict arose between me and various CTC board members. Unfortunately, in spite of my best efforts, this conflict could not be resolved. Therefore, I made the extremely difficult decision to step away from the CTC in September 2021. Although I had to separate myself from the CTC, I knew I wanted to help CTM race director, Nicole Brimer, with the 2022 Charlottesville Ten Miler. It was very important for me to end my tenure with the CTC on a high note. So, I made a variety of new designs for a special bib, stickers, and volunteer shirt as well other logos that I never got to use. I wore my rainbow sparkle skirt and formerly white running shoes that I colored with a rainbow of sharpies. So many spectators and fellow runners complimented me on my tutu and I appreciated the encouragement as I was rather untrained for this endeavor! The best part of the race was seeing my identical twin sister cheering in her inflatable T-Rex costume at mile 4 and the finish line. Being able to finally share this historic event with her made a difficult day of saying goodbye to this race a bit easier. Thank you to Nicole for allowing me do what I love and including me as a valuable contributor to this spring tradition in Charlottesville.
I'm not sure who will be the next director for the Charlottesville Ten Miler and what changes will be made under new leadership. I know that my twin and I will always smile when we see someone wearing a shirt from one of the years I helped support the race, especially the shirts with my designs (2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020/21, and 2022). music is my therapyAll the right songs came up at the right moment .....
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/final-ten-miler/pl.u-b3b8oGGHyMLRGd I managed everything for the C-VILLE-athon from 2015-2020. A new team is now in charge. Good luck, runners!
The C-VILLE-athon is the brilliant idea of coach, volunteer race director, and running store owner Mark Lorenzoni. Created as a way to encourage runners to try a variety of local not-for-profit races as well as to track one’s progress over the year, the C-VILLE-athon allows participants to design their own racing experience by running at least 26.2 miles in charity events in a calendar year. I worked behind the scenes to create logos, flyers, website, and social media presence for this initiative and it has been a huge success. During its first year. Of the 243 people who signed up for the challenge in the inaugural event, 83 runners submitted their checklists, running a total of more than 2500 miles for worthy causes! Ouch. My finger really hurts and it’s an important finger. It’s the index finger on my dominant hand and it’s the only one I use to type on my iPhone. So what happened? How did I lose a layer of skin from an open blister on my index finger? Well, here’s the story. Leah’s Snow Removal ServiceFor a couple days I risked my life walking from my townhome in Pantops to the grocery store and Starbucks because a few businesses felt it wasn’t their responsibility to shovel the sidewalk in front of their establishments.
I documented the lack of accessibility to the only crosswalk on Route 250 as well as the Charlottesville Area Transit bus stop near the DMV and tagged the Chick-fil-A Pantops and Atlantic Union Bank on social media. I even tagged the local news stations and newspaper. Obviously nothing happened. I’ll do anything to avoid a phone call so I grabbed my shovel and decided to just do it myself. It was only after I was almost finished that I realized my throbbing finger had an injury from the cheap shovel and my lack of skill in moving huge chunks of slush, ice, and snow. I talked about this in a job interview yesterday because I feel like it is a perfect example of my personality and work ethic. I will never complain about something without trying to fix it. I’m a problem solver. I care about other people. I hold businesses and people accountable for their actions (or inaction). I’m willing to endure pain (both physical and mental) to do the right thing. I keep checking my feeds for a thank you. For someone from corporate to respond to my tweets, reels, and Facebook posts. It hasn’t happened. Luckily a couple of amazing things did happen as I was shoveling and it’s what gives me some hope and pride. A couple in a car stopped in front of 2050 Abbey Road Medical Center and asked if I worked for the city. He mentioned that he saw me on the other side of the road shoveling, too. I told him no, I don’t work for anyone. I’m actually currently unemployed and I don’t have a car so it’s important that sidewalks are accessible. I explained that I had tried to use social media to “shame” the businesses into doing the right thing, but it didn’t work so I took matters into my own hands. They thanked me and gave me fist pumps in solidarity. A few minutes later another truck stopped and a guy came out with a flyer. It was for a snow shoveling service and he asked if I could give it to management. I told him that I didn’t work for the building and I was just volunteering. He seemed shocked, kept his flyer, and said, “Wow, that’s nice of you!” So I did get thanked and acknowledged, but it wasn’t from corporate headquarters, it was literally from the man on the street (x2). One last thing. As I started walking home to clear the patches I missed in front of Atlantic Union Bank a van from the Albemarle County Service Authority parked in the lot. A man got out and opened the back of the van and pulled out a shovel. He said he wanted to help me out since he had a better shovel. He noticed I just broke off part of my low-end orange plastic one attacking a stubborn piece of ice. I was so grateful that not only did one more person recognize my efforts, but he stepped up to offer me a hand. I didn’t get his name, but I want to thank him. His generosity and friendliness made my day. My husband is writing a book about post-punk music in Kansas entitled, “No Choice But Action.” It’s my mantra now. I have no choice, but to act when I see injustice. Shoveling a sidewalk is just another example. Charlottesville has an ordinance that businesses and homeowners need to clear their sidewalks by a specific deadline after a storm. Clearing sidewalks is about accessibility and pedestrian safety. I saw children navigating piles of snow to get on the school bus this morning. We need to think about others and make our communities safe for everyone. I’ll take recommendations on a good shovel to purchase. I have a feeling I’ll need one for the next storm. The Rivanna Greenbelt Marathon started in September 2014 as an opportunity for local runners to have a last chance to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I designed the course to follow the flattest section you can find in a town a HILLS, a paved trail that along the Rivanna River. Because the trail is just 2 miles from the start to the end, participants need to complete 6.5 “loops” of the course. Some people thought it would be boring or crazy to run such a course, but I found more than enough runners who were up for the challenge!
When I created the race I wanted to make it low-key and no-frills. There were no shirts or swag. The only people who got a medal were those who DNF. I wrote a blog once about how hard it is to quit a race even when it’s the right thing to do (i.e., if you feel like you’re developing an injury or if you don’t think you’ll hit your goal, etc.). I joked that we should give medals for dropping out. I took that idea and put it into action at my own race. I actually earned a medal myself in October 2014 when I dropped out of my own race. Having the race in September in the Mid-Atlantic was quite challenging in terms of weather. We had heat waves and thunderstorms. I decided during the pandemic that I would change the timing of the race. We adjusted a few things for safety and had our race in November 2020 on a perfect day. I directed three races in 2021 (March, October, and December) and added a half to the mix. As both a runner and a volunteer, I wanted my race to have everything that I think is important for an amazing experience. We have medical support from the UVA Runners’ Clinic, volunteers from the running community, chalk messages and signs along the course, free course photos, and chip timing with finish line video. Our race mascot is “Coney” - a funny addition inspired by satirist and writer Mark Remy (The Dumb Runner). It’s fitting because you need to run around cones multiple times. In 2020 I started to give out mini traffic cones with googly eyes and hand-drawn mouths to finishers. Also, by adding a half marathon and raising the entry I was able to donate almost $2,500 this year to three charities. I’m really proud of my quirky little race. There are runners who come back every year (when they aren’t injured) and I’ve heard so many amazing stories from participants about what motivated them to pick my race. I always send evaluation surveys to both runners and volunteers so I can keep improving the event. We had a panel of local runners talk about Lessons Learned with Joan Benoit Samuelson and I spoke about the importance of giving back to the running community by volunteering at a race. That inspired a few new volunteers to show up my November 2020 event! I really love talking about my race because it’s been a labor of love for me and my identical twin sister. There’s been a lot of ups and downs - during the 2nd race I had to disqualify a friend because she turned around before the course marking twice and it was on video. For the first 6 races we did all the timing old school (no chips!) with Time Machine and lap counters. That was labor intensive to compile the results, but it was always a thrill to submit them to the B.A.A. We’ve had people complete their first marathon and first half marathon with us and it means so much to be part of someone’s important running history. Necessity is the mother of invention. I banged out a lot of creative work for the running community that I'm very proud of over the past 14 excruciatingly difficult months because somehow I knew deep down that there was no path forward for me working with the CTC if all of the current board remained in place. If anyone thinks I left because of my new job or that I wanted to pursue other projects that's not the truth. I won't publicly name names or explain the absurdity of the situation except to say that I wanted to do the work and avoid the drama and although I was uncomfortably transparent about my vulnerable state and my own faults, at every opportunity I was triggered into anxiety, depression, and paranoia. It's no way to live. So I choose optimism and life and I'm going to throw my creativity, passions, and drive into other things that will give me purpose and meaning. Spoiler Alert Ladies: Menopause is no joke. Turning 50 is no joke. I've not been my best self the past year, but I've tried my best to seek help. I've tried to always be there for anyone when they needed something from me. When you reach out for a hand and it's not there you have to make the choice to accept the situation and carry on with the relationships that have weathered the storm. Thank you to everyone who has made an effort to make me feel that I matter. That I'm valued and appreciated. I'll pay it forward! I promise. For reminders that things can get better, sign up for The Depression Project's daily quotes. P.S. Writing this post finally motivated me to update my resume. I never thought I'd see some of the changes I just had to make, but I'm so excited about my new position. "To find peace, sometimes you have to be willing to lose your communication with people, places, and things that create all the noise in your life."Wed, Jul 29, 2020 at 4:38 PM "I'll pass." Mon, Sep 20, 2021 at 12:31 PM "This needs to stop." Fourteen months ago when I was in the middle of a mental health crisis and had to take FMLA in an effort to get healthy and decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, I reached out to a therapist with whom I had a longstanding relationship. He replied right away and offered me an appointment in person. I struggled with what to do, but when I asked if we could meet virtually instead because of COVID-19, he responded with "I'll pass." At the time I thought that was the most hurtful and dismissive email I could ever receive from anyone. It took courage to reach out, ask for help, and put the necessary boundaries to protect my health in my request. When I was rejected from a professional who I had a 13 year relationship with I was devastated. It took me 40 days to write a reply and report him to the Department of Health Professionals for the unethical behavior he exhibited over the course of my "treatment." Although I spoke with an investigator on September 17, 2020 regarding DHP Case #206870, I'm still waiting for resolution. I was on the phone with someone very important in my life when I got that email from the therapist. I burst into tears and could barely speak. He was so supportive and I will never forget that. It meant everything to me. For the past 6 months I've been struggling with another decision, whether or not to leave the Charlottesville Track Club, an organization that I have dedicated my passion and talents to for 13 years. I won't describe in detail what lead to my choice to step away, but the people closest to me know the story. I had already started separating myself from my CTC responsibilities and shared access to various resources I created before I received the "This has to stop." email, but to say I was gutted when I realized I no longer had the support from the person who was there for me when I was rejected from the therapist was heart-wrenching. Once again, I felt abandoned after sending an email with the subject line HELP. I've struggled so much over the past 14 months. I have experienced the huge loss of both friends and positions that I had clung to define my identity. Even though it was incredibly painful, I feel like I'm finding peace now because finally I have my best friend, my twin sister with me to share both the burdens and pleasures of life. Tonight we are going to our first concert together in Charlottesville. Ani DiFranco's music has been in my life since college and has gotten me through some very difficult times. I'm so grateful that I now own a home (with FRAN!) that I can welcome Malinda Ann into so we can be spinster twinsters together and create beautiful memories and art with Twins Run and A Good Group. Listen to my latest playlist created during this difficult transition: FUNGE ME. (Yes, I'm OBSESSED with HBO's Succession!) Date: Wed, Sep 22, 2021 at 6:03 AM Subject: My apologies and my thanks This will be my last message regarding my departure from the CTC, so please bear with me. First of all, I am encouraging all of you to attend the CTC Membership Meeting on Thursday at 7pm. Join the CTC Board Elections Membership Meeting via Zoom Secondly, I give my eternal, sincere, and heartful thanks to everyone who has called, texted, or talked with me about my struggles in making the decision to step away from the CTC. I know it's the right decision and the healthy choice for me, but it's been unbearably hard .... I only wish I left CTC before I started this new position so I wouldn't put this amazing opportunity in jeopardy. Finally and most importantly, I am so very sorry for any discomfort, stress, or anxiety that this situation has caused anyone else. If any of you are feeling just 1/100th of the pain I am and it's because of my words or actions, I promise I will make it up to you. Please let me know how. I am an open book. My life is on social media and my website. I am brutally and sometimes abrasively honest about my struggles with mental health, asking for help, and quitting. This has been the most difficult year of my entire life, but I have survived and I will continue to knowing I've made it this far. Thanks again, leah agoodgroup.com UPDATE
February 27, 2022 To Whom It May Concern: I am requesting a call this week to discuss Case #206870 and when there will be action. I have thoroughly reviewed all public documents on your website regarding closed case enforcement statistics, meetings and case decisions so I have a better understanding of your process. There are informal conferences on the calendar for April 21 and June 17. If my case will not be addressed at either meeting, I need to know why and when it will be. "Soon" is not an acceptable answer when it's been almost 18 months since my complaint was filed. As a complainant and tax-paying citizen of Virginia, I have rights and should be treated with empathy and respect. My questions stem from this process dragging on far longer than I had anticipated. My need for answers is not the cause of your backlog and I take offense to that implication (see below). I can provide further documentation if necessary. Thank you, leah connor September 7, 2020: Investigation of complaint. November 4, 2021: “Hang in there and I hope this will have some resolution sooner rather than later.” February 7, 2022: “Please be patient and we will be in touch with you soon.” "We have been in consistent contact with you but we are not able to continue to answer a multitude of emails and still have time to get cases processed." I've made the very difficult decision to part ways with the Charlottesville Track Club and have had time to reflect on the impact I've made over the past 13 years through my logo designs, training program organization, and most importantly, the creation of the Rivanna Greenbelt Marathon. I'm so proud to call so many good people my friends because of our common passion for running and doing good
Thank you!. leah ______________________ "I have been co-director with Leah for the CTC All-comers Summer Track Meets for nearly a decade. During that time Leah has helped grow popularity of the meets, while at the same time made them run more smoothly. She is creative and organized with the event logos and website marketing. She is passionate about the CTC and is involved in many of their events as either a director, volunteer or participant. Thank you Leah for all you do for runners in the C'ville area!" Rick Kwiatkowski, CTC member "Leah Connor is dependable, creative, particular, and passionate about expressing the fun and challenge of footraces into art. Further, her technology skills and customer service are absolutely top notch. As the race director for the Kiwanis Independence Day 5K, I annually reach out to Leah in April and ask her a series of requests to post our race event and registration with the Charlottesville Track Club and please help us update our logo. Well, it bears saying that Leah designed our current logo a few years ago. The original she created blew us away with its beauty, capturing the essence of the fun of running and walking with a potential energy all its own. Every year, Leah, improves the design and suggests new and contemporary changes. In 2021, we decided to start using customized bibs. I asked Leah to send the logo to the bib vendor, and she found a way to take the starting line photo from a previous peak participation year and use three segmented shots of it to make three different bib backgrounds. Needless to say, when I saw the bibs, I was overjoyed. More importantly, when runners came to pick them up, they were amazed, especially those who could see themselves at the starting line. Only someone who really cares about people will take the approach Leah takes. In addition to her art, Leah updates our registration page each year, taking the initiative to provide quality information to prospective runners. The registration is so appealing, I know it impacts runners in their decision to sign up. Finally, she is the lynchpin in getting our data to the timers, and is completely dependable! I want to emphasize that Leah is reliable, amazingly prompt, and responds just about immediately to feedback and requests. Of all the tasks that go into developing an annual footrace, one of my most enjoyable is seeing the work that Leah does behind the scenes to facilitate the success of our race, our runners, and our cause. Thank you, Leah!" Matthew S. Haas, Ed.D., Superintendent. Albemarle County Public Schools “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Leah as a volunteer with the Charlottesville Track club for over a decade and a half. Together, we have worked to support the Marathon and Half Marathon Training program every summer. In addition to provide excellent and professional creative support, from marketing to social media presence, Leah is also an excellent project manager, diligent with details, and an excellent collaborator. She handles challenges expertly and is incredibly conscientious and she is always looking for ways to improve processes and how we deliver the program. Without her leadership, we most certainly would not have made the continuous improvements and updates to this immensely successful program that we have. I would highly recommend Leah for any position that requires this kind of diligence, follow through, leadership, and creative teamwork.” Joan Bienvenue, Executive Director and Vice Provost, Oak Ridge Institute at the University of Tennessee “In my experience, there are those who think of ideas and those who execute them. Leah Connor is a rare example of those who do both with equal skill and enthusiasm. I’ve witnessed this as part of the Charlottesville running community to which she contributes so much. The Rivanna Greenbelt Marathon and Half Marathon not only arose from Leah’s vision, but continues to happen because of her follow-through with details ranging from coure design to certification to publicity to volunteers to aid-stations to race-swag. And she manages it all with a combination of personal work-ethic and the ability to generate enthusiasm from others. She’s the whole package.” Harry Landers, Boston Bound Running Club Captain "Leah Connor has done and continues to do so much for the community as a volunteer for the Charlottesville Track Club. She's been my go-to when I needed help on short notice for publicity, artwork, website content creation, error corrections - the list goes on. For just one example, I desperately needed help getting an insurance certificate for a race I was directing. Without it we would have had to cancel. The next day I had the certificate. I'm still amazed. Leah is creative, energetic and passionate about her work, and it certainly shows in all she's done for the Charlottesville running community." Jay Wildermann, Former CTC President "Leah is incredible. If you need something done, and it's difficult, she's a good person to have around. She's an analytical thinker, a problem-solver, diligent and solid in a crisis. She will not stop until a project is completed--and done well. There are few people I would rather have on my team--I couldn't speak more highly of her. " Peter Krebs, Community Outreach Coordinator at Piedmont Environmental Council "I have had the pleasure of having Leah on my "team" for many years and count her as one of my major assets. I am not the most tech/web savvy person, but I know I have Leah in my corner. No matter if it is a quick spread sheet that I want presented a certain way or to have our web site updated, all I do is send it and she quickly and efficiently has it done! She amazes me. Best part is she does everything she touches so efficiently and with no judgement." Pam Whorley, W4MTP Director "During my term on the CTC Board, I personally recruited Leah to help with our website, which needed a major upgrade. She was on top of things from the beginning! I personally have seen more engagement between the community and the CTC! I believe it's mainly due to her work on the CTC website, the CTC's social media accounts, and the CTC sponsored races. Well done, Leah!" Andrew Zapanta, Former CTC President "Leah has been volunteering for the CTC (Charlottesville Track Club) for more than a decade, successfully taking care of the CTC website and all social media. She’s been doing an outstanding job for our local running community." Hernan Garbini, CTC Member "I have had the pleasure of volunteering with Leah Connor for many years with the Charlottesville Track Club and the Charlottesville Ten Miler, where she is a truly irreplaceable asset. Leah really can do it all and has proven that countless times over her many years within the Charlottesville running community. Whether it is logo design, creating/managing websites, organizing race spreadsheets and databases, or social media outreach, Leah always gets the job done with great efficiency and enthusiasm. She is constantly looking for new and innovative ways to encourage participation in local events and has become the local ‘go-to’ expert resource for non-profit groups looking to organize running events. I am truly in awe of the impact she has had on the local community through her volunteering and cannot recommend her highly enough. The Charlottesville running community would not be what it is today without Leah’s countless hours of service and dedication." Cathy Singleton, CTC Volunteer "Leah Connor is in so many ways the driving force in bringing people together in our running community. Her tireless efforts, in helping to market and organize hundreds of races, running events and training programs, have helped to entertain tens of thousands of runners and, in the process, raise immeasurable funds for countless charitable causes. Simply put, thanks to her selfless dedication in volunteering her time and sharing her talents, creativity and passions, Leah is the flag bearer in bringing running to life in Central Virginia!" Mark Lorenzoni, co-owner of Ragged Mountain Running & Walking Shop and Coach for Charlottesville Track Club Sometimes on a dark day you need to read the nice things people have said about you to remind yourself that you've had a positive impact on the world. Thank you so much to everyone who responded when I asked for recommendations ... included below are just the running related ones.
------------------- "I have been co-director with Leah for the CTC All-comers Summer Track Meets for nearly a decade. During that time Leah has helped grow popularity of the meets, while at the same time made them run more smoothly. She is creative and organized with the event logos and website marketing. She is passionate about the CTC and is involved in many of their events as either a director, volunteer or participant. Thank you Leah for all you do for runners in the C'ville area!" Rick Kwiatkowski, Charlottesville Track Club member "Leah Connor is dependable, creative, particular, and passionate about expressing the fun and challenge of footraces into art. Further, her technology skills and customer service are absolutely top notch. As the race director for the Kiwanis Independence Day 5K, I annually reach out to Leah in April and ask her a series of requests to post our race event and registration with the Charlottesville Track Club and please help us update our logo. Well, it bears saying that Leah designed our current logo a few years ago. The original she created blew us away with its beauty, capturing the essence of the fun of running and walking with a potential energy all its own. Every year, Leah, improves the design and suggests new and contemporary changes. In 2021, we decided to start using customized bibs. I asked Leah to send the logo to the bib vendor, and she found a way to take the starting line photo from a previous peak participation year and use three segmented shots of it to make three different bib backgrounds. Needless to say, when I saw the bibs, I was overjoyed. More importantly, when runners came to pick them up, they were amazed, especially those who could see themselves at the starting line. Only someone who really cares about people will take the approach Leah takes. In addition to her art, Leah updates our registration page each year, taking the initiative to provide quality information to prospective runners. The registration is so appealing, I know it impacts runners in their decision to sign up. Finally, she is the lynchpin in getting our data to the timers, and is completely dependable! I want to emphasize that Leah is reliable, amazingly prompt, and responds just about immediately to feedback and requests. Of all the tasks that go into developing an annual footrace, one of my most enjoyable is seeing the work that Leah does behind the scenes to facilitate the success of our race, our runners, and our cause. Thank you, Leah!" Matt Haas, Superintendent, Albemarle County Public Schools “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Leah as a volunteer with the Charlottesville Track club for over a decade and a half. Together, we have worked to support the Marathon and Half Marathon Training program every summer. In addition to provide excellent and professional creative support, from marketing to social media presence, Leah is also an excellent project manager, diligent with details, and an excellent collaborator. She handles challenges expertly and is incredibly conscientious and she is always looking for ways to improve processes and how we deliver the program. Without her leadership, we most certainly would not have made the continuous improvements and updates to this immensely successful program that we have. I would highly recommend Leah for any position that requires this kind of diligence, follow through, leadership, and creative teamwork.” Joan M. Bienvenue, Executive Director and Vice Provost, Oak Ridge Institute at the University of Tennessee “In my experience, there are those who think of ideas and those who execute them. Leah Connor is a rare example of those who do both with equal skill and enthusiasm. I’ve witnessed this as part of the Charlottesville running community to which she contributes so much. The Rivanna Greenbelt Marathon and Half Marathon not only arose from Leah’s vision, but continues to happen because of her follow-through with details ranging from course design to certification to publicity to volunteers to aid-stations to race-swag. And she manages it all with a combination of personal work-ethic and the ability to generate enthusiasm from others. She’s the whole package.” Harry Landers, Boston Bound Running Club Captain "Leah Connor has done and continues to do so much for the community as a volunteer for the Charlottesville Track Club. She's been my go-to when I needed help on short notice for publicity, artwork, website content creation, error corrections - the list goes on. For just one example, I desperately needed help getting an insurance certificate for a race I was directing. Without it we would have had to cancel. The next day I had the certificate. I'm still amazed. Leah is creative, energetic and passionate about her work, and it certainly shows in all she's done for the Charlottesville running community." Jay Wildermann, Former CTC President "Leah is incredible. If you need something done, and it's difficult, she's a good person to have around. She's an analytical thinker, a problem-solver, diligent and solid in a crisis. She will not stop until a project is completed--and done well. There are few people I would rather have on my team--I couldn't speak more highly of her." Peter Krebs, Community Outreach Coordinator at Piedmont Environmental Council "I have had the pleasure of having Leah on my "team" for many years and count her as one of my major assets. I am not the most tech/web savvy person, but I know I have Leah in my corner. No matter if it is a quick spread sheet that I want presented a certain way or to have our web site updated, all I do is send it and she quickly and efficiently has it done! She amazes me. Best part is she does everything she touches so efficiently and with no judgement." Pam Whorley, Realtor, W4MTP Director "I have had the pleasure of volunteering with Leah Connor for many years with the Charlottesville Track Club and the Charlottesville Ten Miler, where she is a truly irreplaceable asset. Leah really can do it all and has proven that countless times over her many years within the Charlottesville running community. Whether it is logo design, creating/managing websites, organizing race spreadsheets and databases, or social media outreach, Leah always gets the job done with great efficiency and enthusiasm. She is constantly looking for new and innovative ways to encourage participation in local events and has become the local ‘go-to’ expert resource for non-profit groups looking to organize running events. I am truly in awe of the impact she has had on the local community through her volunteering and cannot recommend her highly enough. The Charlottesville running community would not be what it is today without Leah’s countless hours of service and dedication." Cathy Singleton, CTC volunteer "I personally have seen more engagement between the community and the CTC! I believe it's mainly due to her work on the CTC website, the CTC's social media accounts, and the CTC sponsored races. Well done, Leah!" Andrew J Zapanta, Former CTC President "Leah has been volunteering for the CTC (Charlottesville Track Club) for more than a decade, successfully taking care of the CTC website and all social media. She’s been doing an outstanding job for our local running community." Hernan Garbini, CTC Member "Leah Connor is in so many ways the driving force in bringing people together in our running community. Her tireless efforts, in helping to market and organize hundreds of races, running events and training programs, have helped to entertain tens of thousands of runners and, in the process, raise immeasurable funds for countless charitable causes. Simply put, thanks to her selfless dedication in volunteering her time and sharing her talents, creativity and passions, Leah is the flag bearer in bringing running to life in Central Virginia!" Mark Lorenzoni, co-owner of Ragged Mountain Running Shop and Coach for Charlottesville Track Club I was recently interviewed for a local PBS program, Charlottesville Inside-Out, to discuss running and my volunteer involvement with the Charlottesville Track Club. You can watch the amazing segment online!
http://ideastations.org/watch/charlottesville-inside-out "I was thrilled to be approached by Terri to talk about my volunteer involvement with the Charlottesville Track Club and my passion for running. From the first contact she had with me to watching the piece air for the first time on tv, the entire experience was one of the highlights of my time in Charlottesville. Being interviewed by Terri was like talking with an old friend. She helped make me feel comfortable and valued and it showed in the piece. Terri was thorough and accommodating in finding the resources she needed, including photos and interviews, for a piece which I feel is an amazing and touching tribute to the running community in Charlottesville. I've watched the segment three times already and it brings a huge smile and sense of pride to me every time!" |
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