By Nicholas Cunningham

Take Two Miles and Call Me in the Morning

It was just a few months ago, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, that a neighbor to Arrowhead Ranch, called to report that a bunch of residents were on the run.

She was right, but what she was not aware of was that the teens weren't running from the program, they were actually training for an upcoming 5K race.

If you are from the Quad-Cities, you are probably very familiar with Arrowhead Ranch. For over 60 years, it has provided help to at-risk teenagers who are at very critical crossroads in their lives.

Recently, Arrowhead has gotten involved in local races such as the Crimestopper's 5K and the Run for Viva 5K and has had tremendous success. In addition to being a writer, I am also a counselor at Arrowhead and have helped incorporate running into their treatment program.

At first, convincing residents that a three-mile run would make them feel better was very difficult. But as we started running and they learned that they could go at their own pace and set personal goals for themselves, their interest peaked.

Some, who couldn't run for two minutes straight just a few months ago, are now completing two- to three-mile runs.

One particular resident, Jeremiah, 15, was a little hesitant to go on the runs at the beginning but is now one of the stronger runners. "It definitely works with my treatment because when I am mad, I can go run and it clears my mind." said Jeremiah. "Even if you don't like to run, you can still help out and volunteer at the event."

The support from the community is always overwhelming and for the races it was no different. Recently, Charles Cervantes, president of Viva Quad Cities had a strong message for the residents. "Everyone makes mistakes," said Cervantes. "It's what you do afterwards that defines us."

As cooler weather comes into the area, you can find the residents at Arrowhead training for their third run of the year, the Lagomarcino's Cocoa Beano 5K on October 29th in downtown Moline. While the residents lace up their shoes to go for a run, they will not just be running towards the finish line but running towards a new way of life.



Nicholas Cunningham of Moline, IL is a counselor at Arrowhead and a writer for Hola America English & Spanish Newspaper.