Kerens runners on a mission

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Daily Sun photo/Janet Jacobs Members of the First Baptist Church of Kerens stand amidst the rubble of construction. The church is rebuilding following a disastrous fire two years ago, and the small team of runners is racing in the White Rock Marathon Sunday to raise money for the project. Shown here are team members Beth Sundquist and Peggy Engel on the front row, and Jayson Engel and James Inmon on the second row. Now shown is fellow runner David Fox.
Daily Sun photo/Janet Jacobs Members of the First Baptist Church of Kerens are running the White Rock Marathon in Dallas this weekend to raise money and awareness for the church's rebuilding following a fire two years ago. Team members shown here are (left to right) Beth Sundquist, Jayson Engel, James Inmon, and Peggy Engel. Teammember David Fox is not shown.

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December 2, 2011

Five-person relay team to take on White Rock Marathon

By Janet Jacobs Corsicana Daily Sun The Corsicana Daily Sun Fri Dec 02, 2011, 11:00 AM CST

Corsicana — Five members of the Kerens First Baptist Church will be running in the White Rock Marathon on Sunday, raising money and awareness for the reconstruction of their church.

The church burned down two years ago, and is nearing completion of its rebuilding, but the insurance money wasn’t enough to cover the new structure. The difference is about $250,000, according to Pastor Wes Johnson.

“For a small church like ours, it’s a lot of money,” Johnson said.

The idea to run in the marathon came from Jayson Engel, a coach and teacher with Kerens Independent School District. He and fellow teacher James Inmon ran in the marathon last year.

“We wanted to do something to bring honor to God and bring attention to our church,” Engel said.

Instead of running it alone, though, they gathered fellow runners in the church and made it into a relay. Each will run part of the 26-mile marathon.

Also on the team are Beth Sundquist, a police officer with the Dallas Police Department, David Fox, a prison guard with Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and Peggy Engel, Jayson’s mother, who works at Bain Insurance. Their ages range from 33 to 61.

“We thought it would be fun to get together and do it together,” Jayson Engel said. “It’s something we all like to do, and we can do.”

Each of the runners has been training on his or her own, although some ran together in the 10K that was part of the Kerens Cotton Harvest Festival.

The most experienced runner in their group is Sundquist, who began running in high school, then took up marathons and triathlons when she joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1990.

When they got together this past week, their mood was jubilant, and none seemed worried about the race. Beth will lead off because she’s small but tough and has the best chance of pushing through the 25,000 other runners who will be participating in the race. Still, there will be some small anxiety on the day, they agreed.

“You always get nervous before a marathon, but you’re just trying to have fun,” Sundquist said.

The anxiety for Inmon is not to disappoint his fellow team mates.

“I don’t want to pull everyone else down,” he said.

Jayson Engel said he’s always a little nervous before a big run, but they’re running for a cause this time.

“This time, I know what we’re running for,” he said.

For his mother, Peggy Engel, the goal is just to cross the finish line.

“I just want to finish,” she said, laughing.

The church is supporting the team. The deacons signed off on the plan, and people have signed up to “sponsor” each mile run by the team.

Since the fire, the congregation has been meeting for Sunday school in the church’s education wing, which was mostly spared, while church services are at the Kerens Ex Students Association building in downtown Kerens.

The fire hasn’t slowed the progress of the church, and in fact, they’ve gained a few people. Fundraising to meet this challenge has been through various small efforts, and includes a newly-published cook book.

“It’s just been our people, and the spirit of cooperation that has brought this together,” Johnson said.

To make a donation or to buy a copy of the First Baptist Church of Kerens’ cookbook, mail checks to P.O. Box 219, Kerens, TX. 75144, or call the church at (903) 396-2342.

—————

Janet Jacobs may be reached via e-mail at jacobs@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “sound off” to this article? E-mail: Soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com

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