[ARRL-OK] OKC Marathon 04 27 03

Thu, 17 Apr 2003 23:10:42 EDT

Amateur Radio will play a vital role in the upcoming Oklahoma City marathon=20
by providing on site communication. More Amateur Radio operators are needed=20
for the event.  Since Amateur Radio was keenly involved in on-site=20
communication in the hours and days following the bombing it is only=20
appropriate that we return to help with the Marathon. The eight years since=20
the April 19, 1995 days from hell have gone swiftly.

Many of you were key players in April 1995 and we are asking you to come bac=
k=20
again on April 27, 2003.  The marathon begins at 6:30 that morning at the=20
National Memorial site in downtown OKC. But, if it is later that morning=20
before you can make the event your help would still be appreciated. Below is=
=20
a nicely written overview of the event.  Send me an an email if you would=20
like to help or have questions.

73, John Thomason-WB5SYT
OK Section Manager
[email protected]

Here's an FAQ list which should provide general information about the event.
Additionally, it give volunteers a better insight as to the 'how and why' of=
=20
the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.

Tom Webb, WA9AFM/5

Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
Frequent Asked Questions and .
Resource Document of Responses

Congratulations!=A0 You've just been promoted to Ambassador!=A0 On race day
(April 27th), you will be the public face of the Oklahoma City Memorial
Marathon to many citizens of Oklahoma City, Nichols Hills, The Village, and
other cities and towns hereabouts.=A0 For all the publicity we've put out,
there will still be people who have not heard of the Marathon, don't know
why we're doing it, misunderstand why and how we're doing it, or just are
upset because they're being inconvenienced.=A0 You're the person who gets to
answer their questions, allay their concerns, and create new Marathon
supporters.

Here are some of the questions marshals have been asked in the past and
what you should know in order to give informative and useful answers.=A0 We
don't expect you to memorize these answers but to understand them so you can
express them in your own words.

Q: What's going on?
A: This is the third annual running of the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.
The event weekend includes marathon entries and two and five-person relays
for runners and walkers.=A0 The event also includes a Wheelchair Marathon,
Kid's Marathon and an ever-growing 2K Memorial Walk.

Q: Why are you doing that?
A: To honor the 168 men, women, and children who were killed, and the
thousands whos lives were changed forever in the April 19, 1995, bombing of
the Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City.=A0 Our message is to
honor their memories, celebrate life, reach for the future and unite the
world in hope.

Q: How far are they running?
A: The marathon course is 26 miles, 385 yards long-26.2 miles.

Q: How long does it take them?
A: The fastest runners will finish in about 2=BD hours.=A0 Some of the peopl=
e
who are walking the course will need as much as 8 hours to finish.

Q: Where do they all come from?
A: We have runners not only from the Oklahoma and Southwest region, but from
all over the country and the world.

Q: So why are you doing it here (in my neighborhood or my favorite park)?
Why not do it in some other part of town?
A: We have runners today not only from Oklahoma City and around the state,
but also from 43 other states and 7 foreign countries.=A0 We want to show of=
f
the nicest parts of Oklahoma City.=A0 [This answer is particularly good in t=
he
upscale and historic neighborhoods, like Nichols Hills, The Village, Mesta
Park, Heritage Hills, and Harvey Park.]

Q: So why are you doing it today (on a Sunday), or now?
A1: We want to run the Marathon close to the anniversary of the Murrah
Building bombing-April 19th.
A2: We start the Marathon at 6:30 on a Sunday morning because that's when
there's the least traffic and we actually inconvenience the fewest people.
Also, Sunday is better for the runners, especially the out-of-state runners.
The can come in on Saturday, go home Sunday afternoon after the race, and
not miss a day of work.
A3: April is one of the best times of the year in Oklahoma City to run a
marathon.

Q: How long will this be going on?
A: We'll be done here by [your release time].

Q: When will you do this again?
A: We hold the Marathon on the last Sunday in April each year.

Q: Who's paying for all these policemen and firemen?=A0 I don't like my tax
dollars being spent on this kind of thing.
A1: No tax money goes to support the Marathon.=A0 The policemen and EMTs are
all volunteers working on their own time.=A0 The Marathon pays their salarie=
s
while they're supporting us.=A0 If you see firefighters on their trucks,
they're out cheering the runners on but they're still on call to fight fires
and deal with other emergencies.
A2: The Marathon actually brings commerce and tax dollars to the Oklahoma
City area and serves as a base to promote our state, our city and our great
people.=A0 Runners who don't live here stay in our hotels, eat in our
restaurants, shop in our stores.=A0 It IS the Oklahoma Standard in action.

Q: So who gets all the money you make off of this?
A: After race expenses, the rest of the money supports the Oklahoma City
National Memorial.

Q: Well, I still don't like it.=A0 You're interfering with my life and my
routine.
A: I'm sorry.=A0 I'll get you across the course as soon as I can and you'll=20=
be
on your way.

Empathize as much as possible if they are upset about something. And keep in
mind that we are simply one of the best events in Oklahoma history.=A0 We ar=
e
presenting a gift to Oklahomans, the nation and the world.=A0 Be polite, don=
't
argue, and get them on their way as soon as you can without endangering the
runners.

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