Lawn Mower race brings community together to support The Arc
Published 9:42 am Thursday, March 29, 2018
- Team Stapleton received their championship trophies.
LIVE OAK — According to Len Stapleton, Team Stapleton got a little lucky Saturday morning.
But after three wins in three races during The Arc North Florida’s 20th annual Lawn Mower Race, perhaps Team Stapleton was more good than lucky.
While crediting the success to luck, Stapleton did admit to some strategy and competitiveness helping the four-man team that also included Ronnie Skinner, Buddy Williams and Eric Williams.
“We got here and looked at a little strategy and talked about who we thought would do best at each event, at that station,” he said about the five pit stops set up along the oval race course that included having to attach nuts and washers to a bolt while wearing lineman’s gloves, wrap up a roll of quarters, draw a house, make a paper clip chain and finally hammer a nail into a block of wood. “It really worked out. It kept us out front.”
Team Stapleton indeed spend most of its time out in front of both the three-team preliminary race that also included teams from Suwannee County Fire Rescue and the Jordan Agency, as well as the championship race that also featured Suwannee County Elected Officials and the Suwannee County School Board. The Suwannee County Tax Collector’s Office also had a team in the annual race.
But even being out front didn’t keep a team or its mower in the clear. With racers having to pull over for the pit stops, other racers routinely would cut off the parked mowers.
That usually just led to a swap of mowers, which were all provided by John’s Lawn Equipment, which also hosted the fundraising event.
“They’ll cut you off,” said Stapleton, who was racing for the first time. “There’s some strategy from year’s past from people that have run it. You’ve got people that have run it and they know, turn the lawnmower off, cut you off, block you. They’re bumping and banging.
“It was all in good fun.”
It was also good competition.
With more pit stops than team members, every team had at least one member make two trips around the track. During the preliminary, SCFR assistant chief Eddie Hand took two turns in a row without stopping to change drivers in an attempt to get out in front.
That almost had the team disqualified before an appeal got the firefighters a race-off.
Public Safety Director James Sommers said, with a smile, after the race that it was not in the rulebook.
SCFR finished second in the team competition.
“I was just a shaking,” Stapleton said after the win. “Everybody is just trying to do the best they can. It was fun and competitive.
“Fire Rescue and all the other teams that were out here, we’re all good friends within the community and trying to help out and support things. That’s my biggest thing. All these people you see today, that’s what it’s about for them too.”
That made The Arc the biggest winners Saturday. Administrative and Finance Director Tricia Williams said the event raised close to $8,000 for the non-profit agency that provides advocacy and services to individuals with an intellectual and/or physical disability. Williams said The Arc thanked all the event’s sponsors for making the race possible.
“Today was beautiful weather, good outcome,” said Beverly Standridge, executive director of The Arc. “Lots of racers and they had lots of fun. This was our 20th year doing this race and it just brings the community together. We actually had elected officials against each other, competition. I just wish everybody would come every year and enjoy the team effect that we have.”
Stapleton, who is running for a spot on the county commission, agreed.
“We just had the opportunity to get in the event and it’s just a great thing for the community,” he said. “We just thought there was no better way to get out and meet people and support the community. I … just want people to see that we’re involved, whatever we can do to help and support, that’s what we’re about. It’s not about just one day a year going out and trying to get elected, it’s about what you’re doing every day for Suwannee County and Live Oak.
“There’s just hundreds, thousands of people that really want to help Suwannee County,” he said. “Doing something every week, somebody is giving their time to do something. That just means a lot to me.”