Organizers of the inaugural Hidden Gem Half Marathon in Flossmoor were delighted with the result on Saturday, and they thanked the hundreds of runners, spectators and volunteers who made the event a success.
The race began about 7:45 a.m. following the singing of the national anthem by Oliv Blu of Flossmoor, a contestant on "The Voice" TV talent show this spring. Then about 600 runners took off west on Flossmoor Road to begin the journey through most of the village's neighborhoods.
Photos by Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle. More photos and information to follow.
When the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District was starting out 50 years ago, Mick Pope, the first executive director, wanted diverse offerings for an active and growing community.
Staff Infection started rocking 18 years ago in the halls of Homewood-Flossmoor High School. Since then, the band – it consists of H-F teachers, students and alums – has consistently delivered its classic sound, which music director Jon Elfner calls a mix of “Motown and horn-driven rock.”
Apparently, penning a popular column in your hometown disqualifies you from grocery shopping in pajamas. Indeed, returning home to work in the H-F community after graduating from the University of Illinois has layered an adult lens over so much of what I observed uncritically in my adolescence.
