6th Annual Nick Van Dyke Shamrock Shuffle slated March 18
On Saturday, March 18, the family, friends and area sports enthusiasts will come together at the Lauderdale Landing to celebrate the life and legacy of Nick Van Dyke, a local man who died unexpectedly in a work-related accident when he was 28 years old.
In March 2011, Van Dyke helped organize the First Annual Shamrock Shuffle (which was sponsored by his employer, Lauderdale Landing) because it combined two of his favorite activities: St. Patrick’s Day and distance running.
The owners of the Lauderdale Landing, Marty and Mike Healy, decided to honor his memory by incorporating Nick’s name in the event the following year and designating the money raised for a scholarship, awarded to a graduating senior, from Nick’s alma mater Elkhorn Area High School, whose post-secondary educational goals involve a career in the automotive field.
The event has grown each year in numbers and thanks to the generosity of event sponsors, donors and participants, the organizing committee has been able to expand the focus to include “Spread the Love” recipients.
The “Spread the Love” monies are used to help local families in need and/or organizations who serve the surrounding community. One of the 2016 recipients was the Birthing Center at Aurora Lakeland Hospital where the “Spread the Love” donation combined with a matching donation from another non-profit, The Jack Pack (created by Jackie and Garrick Harwick in memory of their infant son, Jack Doran Harwick), to purchase a “cuddle cot” – a cooling device that allows families, who have experienced the tragic loss of a newborn, more time together with their stillborn baby before biology takes over.
Participants can choose a 2-, 3-, or 5-mile course along Westshore Drive, which offers an amazing view of the Lauderdale Lakes shoreline.
The option to pre-register (includes the 2017 event T-shirt) is available until March 4 and the cost is $15. For those who miss the pre-registration deadline, registration and sign-up will be available on the day of the event (although event T-shirts are not guaranteed for day-of-the-event registrations), beginning at 9 a.m. until the run/walk begins at 11 a.m. with a cost of $20.
For more information visit www.lauderdalelanding.com, www.nvdshamrockshuffle.com or like the “Nick Van Dyke Shamrock Shuffle” page on Facebook.
