ETNA GREEN – On the afternoon and evening of June 7, an Etna Green tradition will be resurrected when Heritage Park welcomes the Randy Miner Memorial “Country Run.”

The event, which used to be called simply the Country Run, was founded by Miner in 1979 and was popular through two decades kicking off the annual Etna Green Fourth of July parade. As the holiday tradition faded, the Country Run died along with it.

Running was a family affair with the Miners. They would pack up every weekend and travel to whatever small town that would offer a chance to compete and meet new friends. They were regulars at all the events and it didn’t take long until Randy because an unforgettable figure even in a large crowd.

Randy has an unmatched gift for making people smile. When Randy started recruiting young talented athletes from larger cities, the Country Run soon became a must stop on the circuit and a very competitive event. He incorporated his love for wood working, which he learned from his father, by crafting wooden clock trophies for the overall winners. The Country Run attracted over 300 participants during the peak of the running boom in the 1980s. Randy called it “the biggest little race you’ll ever run.”

After moving from his native Etna Green to Warsaw, Randy pursued a career at Zimmer along with his wife Nancy. They started a shop of their own north on SR 15 called cleverly Wood-N-Stuff, where Randy could show off his talented for wood working and make whoever was lucky enough to come through the doors leave with a smile on their face.

Randy passed away unexpectledy in July of 2012 after a reaction to dye injected during a routine exam. His death devastated all who knew him.

Bringing his race back to Etna Green is our way of honoring him.

The weekend’s activities will kick off by having the community wide garage sales June 6-7. Race day registration will be held from 2-4 p.m. with the one mile race starting at 4:30 and the four mile race at 5. There will be traditional wooden clock trophies presented to the overall winners. Oldies 98.3 (WIOE) will be broadcasting live and thee will be an Amish bake sale in the community building. There will be brats and burgers and Nelson’s Golden Glow chicken. There will be plenty of prizes, including a Toshiba 40-inch flat screen TV.

Runners can register online at etnacountryrun.com or like us on Facebook at randyscountryrun.

Don’t miss out on “the biggest little race you’ll ever run.”

By Todd Hoffer, race director and friend.