Annual NuMine Race Held in Honor of Former Teacher

 

by Jonathan Weaver

About 100-150 local runners and walkers are expected to take part in tomorrow’s Great Shamokin Path 5K, and many of them will personally know the woman it is in honor of.

This year, the Great Shamokin Path 5K tomorrow is in memory of Ann Ihnat – a former Armstrong School District substitute teacher and Divine Redeemer School Physical Education teacher in Ford City.

Ihnat, of Plumcreek Township (Rural Valley), passed away Valentine’s Day from breast cancer.

This will be the fourth event West Shamokin Cross Country Coach Christine Orlosky has planned.

“Every year, we try and pick an organization or a student from West Shamokin that might need the money. This year, with the passing of Ann, all the kids on the team, said they wanted to dedicate this to Ann Ihnat,” Orlosky said. “Part of our proceeds are going to the American Cancer Society.”

The rest of the event proceeds, after expenses, will benefit the cross country team – including the annual year-end banquet and senior gifts. Orlosky, a science teacher at Armstrong Junior/Senior High, said about 32 students were on this past-Fall’s team.

Ann’s daughter, Mychael, (of Colorado) is not able to attend tomorrow’s event, but said her family was honored the event is being held in Ann’s honor.

“There are no words to explain how grateful and how honored we are that (event organizers) would honor my mom. Both my brother, Emil, and my dad are both very touched by what they’re doing and how they’re going about it,” Mychael said. “I think my mom would be so happy to know that there’s such a community behind her.

Even though she’s not here with us, she’s still a part of us.”

While approached March 1 - only a few weeks after Ann’s passing -, Mychael said the decision was easy to make.
“I called my brother when (Orlosky) asked and I said ‘I think this is what Mom would really appreciate.’ The West Shamokin students were her rock while she was going through chemo and radiation,” Mychael said. “It didn’t take us long to say ‘Yes.’”

Mychael predicted she might have run the 5K if able and her mother and father would have walked the two mile course.

Mychael was on Orlosky’s cross country team at Elderton Junior/Senior High and Orlosky also had Emil in class at West Shamokin.

“We’re not too, too close, but we’re close enough that we feel this is a good thing to help the family,” Orlosky said.

In addition to teaching, Ann used to also take photographs of West Shamokin sports.

Awards will be given for top 3 male and top 3 female runners overall, as well as top three male and female runners in eight different age groups.

Runners are able to register on race day for a $25 entry fee at the NuMine ball field starting at 8AM tomorrow.