By Jim Bloch
St. Clair County Community College will host the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XII and Michigan Community College Athletic Association Cross Country Championships at Goodells County Park today, Friday, Oct. 25.
The event is open to the public. Admission is free, but parking is $10.
Twenty-three teams from Michigan, Indiana and Ohio will compete to qualify for the NJCAA Cross Country Championships in Richmond, VA Nov. 9.
The SC4 women’s cross country team is ranked 14th and the men’s team is ranked 13th.
The North Entrance to the park opens at 10 a.m. today. Spectator parking is located off County Park Drive.
The women’s 5k race begins at noon.
The men’s 8k race gets underway at 1 p.m. An awards ceremony follows the races.
Competing colleges include: Alpena Community College, Bay College, Cuyahoga Community College, Grand Rapids Community College, Hocking Community College, Jackson Community College, Kellogg Community College, Kirtland Community College, Lake Michigan College, Lansing Community College, Lorain County Community College, Macomb Community College, Marian University Ancilla, Mid Michigan College, Montcalm Community College, Mott Community College, Muskegon Community College, North Central Michigan College, Oakland Community College, Schoolcraft College, Southwestern Michigan College and Wayne County Community College.
Indigenous People’s Celebration
SC4 has joined with the North American Indigenous Council to present an Indigenous People Celebration on Thursday, Nov. 7, 6- 7 p.m. in the college’s Fine Arts Theatre.
Indigenous People’s Day was marked nationally Oct. 14.
“The celebration aims to raise awareness about history and the importance of honoring our indigenous sovereignty,” said Jessica Brown, SC4 chief diversity officer, in a statement.
There is no charge to attend the celebration, which is open to all.
The event will give the community a chance celebrate and learn more about the culture of indigenous people. Activities include dancing, a water ceremony, an outdoor Teepee tour, drummers, smudging and a tribe and land acknowledgment. Indigenous artwork will be displayed in the SC4 Fine Arts Building lobby. Vendors will sell a variety of cultural items.
“I am thrilled to celebrate the traditional culture of our Indigenous people,” said Brown. “Honoring their historical stewardship and presence in our community is a tradition we plan to offer years to come,”
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
