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Mar. 20, 2009
Volunteers honored before Baker-Vegas run
By MARK WAITE
Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Jim Katapodis, director of the Baker to Vegas Run, honored Pahrump volunteers during a dinner the night before the 25th running of the Baker-to-Vegas race at Pahrump Moose Lodge No. 808 Friday. "I've done this 12 years and believe me, if it wasn't for the town of Pahrump and their people, we could not handle this," Katapodis said. The lights of Pahrump are a welcome sight for the runners after they run through the dark for several hours, he said. The start of the race is in Baker, Calif., 85 miles away. Runners, who come mostly from California law enforcement agencies, run six-mile relays, with 20 members comprising the team for the 120-mile race to the finish line in Las Vegas. Katapodis presented a plaque to Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lucy Ivins. Saddle West Hotel and Casino Manager Jack Crane presented Katapodis with a bag of souvenirs. Volunteer Alice Eychaner and others man a mobile home outside the Saddle West every year to hand out fruit and cookies to the runners. "The race started with only 19 teams. Today we have 247 teams," Katapodis said, describing that as a record entry. The race is usually held in April but was moved up to March this year. "We couldn't get the hotel so we moved the date. Everybody told me it'd snow," Katapodis said. One of the early races was stopped due to snow. Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo said a local team that participated in the Baker-to-Vegas this year for the first time would join the event again next year. Volunteers unveiled a banner at the Friday night dinner honoring the local sheriff's department team. "For 24 years we sat by and watched runners go through our community," DeMeo said. Looking forward to next year, he said, "I signed up for my leg already." |
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