A big barbecue that ends with watermelon and watching fireworks on the beach is probably how many families celebrate the Fourth of July. Our family celebration includes two other July 4 traditions – running the Firecracker 5K from Rehoboth’s Grove Park and watching the Dave Reynolds Biathlon on the Boardwalk the next morning. We have Tim Bamforth to thank for organizing these two events for the past three decades.
Our family joined the pack after several summers of watching a crowd of runners pass our house as we munched on donuts. Running, a relatively inexpensive sport, changed our lives and introduced us to a wonderful community of people. Over the years, the followers of Seashore Striders events have grown to more than 500 people participating in the 2024 Firecracker 5K run this past weekend. Kudos to Tim for his focus on kids – and his practice of offering a walker option in many races to broaden participation. Thank you, Tim, for all you have done for our family and particularly your emphasis of youth involvement. You are a community hero!