…by running to support Fortune Mart’s ‘No Plastic Bags’ Days
At 8:15 pm on Aug. 18, around 100 of the Dumaguete Amateur Roadrunners & Striders started their warm-ups with deep breathing, side-to-side stretches, heel-toe workouts, runners’ stretches and ended the routine with a loud ‘whooop!’, and they were all set to go. As if on cue, they started forming groups: the 3K, the 6K and the more than 6K group.
DARS has been running our city streets for quite sometime now, and each week at nighttime so as not to disrupt heavy traffic flow characteristic of the daytime.
But this night was different. DARS decided to partner with Fortune Mart in support of their ‘paper bag’ days. Fortune Mart promised to have water stations, juice, and the always delicious puto in a variety of colors — especially more delicious after a run.
The 3K loop started at Fortune Mart, going north on Perdices St., making a right to Bypass road, another right on Flores Ave., on to Rizal Blvd, right on Colon St., another right on Perdices and back to Fortune Mart. For the 6K loop, you just needed to repeat the 3K loop.
At the water station, we found that the first batch arriving were the seasoned runners. They quickly took a drink of water and started to run another loop. Many did just that to complete the 6K loop.
But there were quite a number who ran the loop three or five times more which makes 15K.
Paultom Paras, running guru of the Metro Dumaguete Roadrunners Club, said these were the runners who easily finished the recently-completed half-marathon from Dumaguete to the town of Amlan in the north.
Ah, but DARS did not know about the Fortune Mart surprise awaiting them after the refreshments and snacks.
Fortune Mark proprietors Ernie and Inday Quiamco handed them the signature FM green shopping bags. Inday had a very nice message pasted inside the bag. If you want to know what it is, you’ll just have to get one the next time you go shopping at Fortune Mart.
Many, of course, ran the 3K and such is no minor feat in itself. But it was great to see kids participating — accompanied by adults. Councilor Manny Arbon ran the 3K with wife Vanjie and son, Venz.
Let us all remember: Not using even just one plastic shopping bag will put a smile on our Mother Earth.
Here’s a challenge to DARS: Use the FM bags every time you go shopping and keep on running and striding.
Leo G. Mamicpic
President, Friends of the Environment in Negros Oriental
