By Alan Sorensen
The 16th annual 5K run during the Milk River Celebration and Pow Wow at Half Town last Saturday had a new name and some new champions.
The Mosquito Run was renamed this year to Nee Wahs Run in honor of Florence Skinner Stiffarm, the grandmother of race organizer and sponsor George Stiffarm. Stiffarm, who died last September, was involved in the run from the beginning.
She ran until she was in her 80s, her daughter-in-law Nancy Stiffarm said. Eighty-six, I think, was the last time she walked.
This years green T-shirts bore the legend Nee Wahs Run above a picture of Florence Stiffarms ancestral cabin. The T-shirts replaced the runs popular picture of a large mosquito toting knife and fork in pursuit of a runner with Snake Butte in the background.
Temperatures on race day were cold before the run and comfortable during the run.
A large contingent of Denver, Colo. runners on hand for the inaugural Nee Wahs Run took home their share of awards, as did a number of Nee Wahs family.
The women winners were:
Overall: Adessa Borgeson, Denver,
12 and under: Gemma Doore, Ft. Belknap,
13-19: Sylvia Trujillo, Denver,
20-29: Lynette Stein-Chandler, Bozeman,
30-39: Amy Snow, Ft. Hall, Idaho,
40-49: Ranita Hughes of Ft. Belknap
50 and over: Marlys Fisher, Browning.
The men winners were:
Overall: Oscar Ponce of Denver, 15:59,
12 and under: Colter Schwenke, Zortman,
13-19: Matt Poundstone, Denver,
20-29: Tommy Whiteman, no town listed,
30-39: Austin Healy, Hays,
40-49: Jeffrey Young, Denver,
50 and over: Fiddles Blackcrow, Hays.
Nancy Stiffarm said a total of 96 runners and walkers registered for the event sponsored by the Stiffarm family, Ft. Belknap Tribal Health, and Ft. Belknap CDC. The cost included T-shirts, awards for winners, refreshments, and numerous drawings, including a bicycle.
