bookin’ it on the boardwalk it o… · melissa mcweeny, road runners club of america certified...
TRANSCRIPT
Bookin’ It On the Boardwalk:BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS, ATTRACTING NEW USERS, AND RUNNING DOWN A DREAM
2019 ABOS ConferenceOn the Road | Out of the Box
Omaha, NebraskaOctober 23-25, 2019
Running Down a Dream
Tara Borden, Assistant Director at the East Lyme Public Library in Niantic, CT
Passionate about Libraries, Outreach, and Running
How can I help others?
How can I combine my passions?
Running Down a Dream
Let’s do a Couch to 5K Training Program! 100% support from the Library Director and Library Board
Minimal costs
Renewed my spirit!
Goals
Attract new library users
Encourage people to think of libraries as more than just a building with books (Out of the Box)
Build stronger community partnerships
Help people meet a goal (cross something off their bucket list)
Build a sense of community (On the Road)
Building Partnerships
East Lyme Parks and Recreation
East Lyme Senior Center
SNERRO (Southern New England Road Racing Officiating)
Niantic Main Street
Mohegan Striders
The Process: Tap Into Your Network
Melissa McWeeny, Road Runners Club of America certified running coach (and personal friend), kicked off the Library’s Couch to Niantic Bay Boardwalk 5K with an information session
8 Weeks to Awesomeness!
March 4 – April 28, 2019
Mayo Clinic 5K: 7-week training schedule for beginners
Group runs took place on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 6:00pm on the Niantic Boardwalk
Participants had to do an additional run or walk on their own
32 Adults/4 Minors
Our first group run/walk: where the rubber meets the slippery
pavement
If a picture isn’t taken, the event never happened
Officially, our 1st run/walk began on Wednesday, March 6
Weather conditions didn’t deter us! “Feels-like” temps of 17 degrees were no match for us
We were smart about training: 15 seconds of running/45 seconds of walking for 30 minutes for the first session
We increased 5 seconds of running and decreased 5 seconds of walking each week
Find your cheerleaders and put them to work!
Building a Sense of Community
Creating Memories and Connecting Families
Community Engagement
Tie-dye t-shirts
East Lyme Public Library’s Facebook Page
Chelsea Groton Bank
Paul’s Pasta
Breaking Bread Together
Race Day!
Race Day!
Race Day!
Finishing Is Winning!
We did it!
Next year’s Couch to Niantic Bay Boardwalk 5K Training Session hits the pavement on March 2, 2020!
Costs
$150 Honorarium for the Kick-Off Presenter
$20 entry fee for race (incurred by participant)
$19 for tie-dye t-shirt (incurred by participant)
Dinner out (incurred by participant)
Gym Boss – Interval Timer ($15.95 from Amazon)
What Have You Been Wanting to Bring to Your Community?
Dream Big! Dream in Technicolor!
What few small steps could you take now to achieve something big later?
What passions could you share while creating a new program or service out in your community?
Who can help you make this happen?
Q & A
Tara BordenAssistant DirectorEast Lyme Public LibraryNiantic, CT 06357(860)739-6926 [email protected]