To the Editor:

On behalf of the Defiant Run Organizing Committee and from me personally, I want to thank everyone who made the fourth annual race a success.

Thanks go to Mayor Perkins and his staff that were instrumental in getting our race start line moved out to Highway 80 so we could cross the newly-painted Edmund Pettus Bridge, to the State Patrol for escorting us safely into town and to the School Crossing guards who assured our safety on the race course.

Big thanks go to all the volunteers who handled the water stops, to Calhoun Foods and Pepsi Cola Bottling Company for donating the water and Gatorade and to Dr. Pam Foster for the refreshing fruit at the end of the race.

I even have to thank Jamie Horton who supplied the BIG round bales we climbed over on the obstacle course.

Before this starts sounding like Oscar night, most important, we can’t forget Frank and Jessica Hardy –

Selma Youth Development Center – who put in more time than all of us in this worthwhile effort to promote racial understanding in our often divided community.

I hope I can speak on behalf of my running partner, Tony Johnson, and all the participants when I say we had even more fun than last year.

I’m already looking forward to next year’s Defiant Run – a bigger race with more runners and walkers, more corporate sponsorship and even greater community involvement.

Thanks again,

Bill Potter