Inspiring Special Olympians lead Flint to year-round fitness in 30 years of the Crim
A simple request to get Michigan’s Speaker of the House to give the awards to the winners of a Michigan Special Olympics track and field meet started what became Flint, Michigan’s signature event. That event led to efforts to turn Flint's potential couch potatoes into active people proud of their community.
On Aug. 27, 1977, 576 of the 758 who paid a $5 entry fee finished the first Bobby Crim 10-mile Road Race for Special Olympics. (No, make that 575 finished that day, one man finished his 10 miles months later after collapsing from the heat at the 8.5 mile mark. He ran the next 28 races on the same day.)
When Crim finished the race - it took him much longer than planned - he wanted to find the staff member who suggested the noon start - the thermometer was at 86 degrees and humidity at 80 percent.
Even Craig, who became the first race director, was sure that was her last race ever. Two days later, though, Crim and Craig acknowledged mistakes had been made. Crim's marching orders, according to Craig?
"‘Figure out what they (the mistakes) are and correct them. You raised a lot of money, so we're going to do it again."
And they did.
The event grew from one race on one day to a multi-race event on one day to a multi-day event and then to a year-round program that encourages fitness.
That growth came from changes, including creating a non-profit organization to organize the event that once raised money only for Special Olympics and now helps many organizations and businesses prosper.
As the organization's focus has changed, so has the name of the event, the calendar of programs, even the title of the head of the organization.
The Flint Journal covered the first Crim. We've shared details and stories in the newspaper, in a book published in 2006, and now on a web site.
Early Vision
• From the start: Do good
• Read what Bobby Crim has to say about the early days. and the changing organization
• Crim has look at the race that bears his name
• A key reason the Crim event was successful is Lois Craig, his administrative assistant.
• The Lois Craig and Bobby Crim connection
Growing the Vision
• Dreamers see more than a race
• Fitness new focus of Crim
• Uniting the community from "The Long Blue LIne"
More on Bobby Crim
• A Journal staff writer caught up with him in 1998 to look at his political career
• Through the years slideshow
How to order the book
• Details about the Long Blue Line, The Crim at 30, book and how to order one are available at online
How to get past articles, pages
• Articles by The Flint Journal and its eight Community Newspapers remain online for 14 days. Some articles - text only - are sold through our online archives. Keepsake page reprints, including a special collection of Crim ones, also are for sale. The pages are printed on archival-safe paper and items such as aprons, tote bags and T-shirts.
At The Top
1977: Lois Craig
1994: Laurie McCann
1996: Anne Gault
1999: Sherlynn Everly
2005: Deb Kiertzner
2005: Gerry Myers
• From the start: Do good
• Read what Bobby Crim has to say about the early days. and the changing organization
• Crim has look at the race that bears his name
• A key reason the Crim event was successful is Lois Craig, his administrative assistant.
• The Lois Craig and Bobby Crim connection
Growing the Vision
• Dreamers see more than a race
• Fitness new focus of Crim
• Uniting the community from "The Long Blue LIne"
More on Bobby Crim
• A Journal staff writer caught up with him in 1998 to look at his political career
• Through the years slideshow
How to order the book
• Details about the Long Blue Line, The Crim at 30, book and how to order one are available at online
How to get past articles, pages
• Articles by The Flint Journal and its eight Community Newspapers remain online for 14 days. Some articles - text only - are sold through our online archives. Keepsake page reprints, including a special collection of Crim ones, also are for sale. The pages are printed on archival-safe paper and items such as aprons, tote bags and T-shirts.
At The Top
1977: Lois Craig
1994: Laurie McCann
1996: Anne Gault
1999: Sherlynn Everly
2005: Deb Kiertzner
2005: Gerry Myers