Chefette Fun Run

Chefette Fun Run

I decided I was going to sign up and attempt this activity, so I drove to the Chefette headquarters signed up and collected my T-Shirt. All week I debated whether I was ready to do this venture and I knew I couldn’t run 6k but had planned to walk it. Just didn’t want to fail.

Finally, Sunday arrived, and I got dressed in my walking gear and set off to the start of the race at Chefette Rockley. As I got closer to the event, the streets were teaming with other participates.

They were women, men, teenagers, kids, young and old all heading to the start to do this walk for charity. The excitement was in the air as lots of chatter could be heard. Everyone had an air of expectancy and excitement.

The people of this island never cease to amaze me. They are always ready to rally around and help support worthy causes. They came out in droves. The participants came with their kids, partners and best friends. They came to run the distance for a time, and they came to stroll with their buddies, but they all came with one united purpose – to donate their entrance fee and their time to make this walk a success.

And a success it was. For as far as I could see in front and behind me were people all walking for this cause. They were teenagers rollerblading, kids riding bicycles, boys wave boarding and walkers. It was such a festive occasion that I made the distance with ease. I think we all helped each other to make it to the end.

I applaud Chefette for taking up this mantle and spearheading this activity. I am fully aware that many other companies help fund this walk as every T-Shirt had on the sponsors name printed on the back, committed enterprises who had helped make this day possible. I thank every one of them for their commitment.

As we got closer to Chefette Fontabelle, I couldn’t help but remember back to a warm December afternoon back in 1972. A Memorable day for me as this was the day that Chefette first opened its doors. My granny lived in Fontabelle, so we walked to Chefette and stood in a long line to order Pizza and Orange-Pine Ice-cream.

To the best of my knowledge, this was the first restaurant to sell pizza back then. Little did we know that it would go on to expand to 13 different establishments over the years and that they would outgrow the original site and move to a more prominent building in its present location on the Harbour Road.

As I rounded the corner to the Harbour Road I was once again blown away by the number of people waiting on the street and sidewalks to welcome all the participates over the balloon lined finish line.

People are clapping you on the back; friends are clasping you in hugs. Everyone is so proud to welcome you across the finish line like one big happy family. I felt so accomplished, healthy and proud of myself.

Chefette is a company that believes in pouring back into society and society responded when they planned this event. They are very community involved and are generous donators to many other fundraisers. It is businesses like this that help makes Barbados the country that it is.

This Fun Run is a yearly event, and I enjoyed it so much that I will be adding it to my calendar for 2015. Will you be attending next year in Barbados? See you there!!

By: Anna Page