Letter to Editor: Thank you for supporting Sgt. Martinez Memorial Run and Golf Tournament

Editor,

We the Martinez family would like to thank all of you runners, walkers, and golfers who participated in the Sgt. Glen Martinez Memorial Scholarship 5K Run/Walk and Veterans Golf Tournament on May 29 and 30 to support and honor Glen for his service to our country and his ultimate sacrifice to fight for our precious freedom. 

We want to thank the people who so graciously donated their time to volunteer their services to make these two events possible. Thank you to Ron and Pat Rinebarger for lending us your side-by-side 4-wheeler for Ron to use at the 5K race. Thank you to Mike Sanchez and family for making the most delicious breakfast burritos for the hungry racers. Thank you to Peggy Martinez who made sure the participants were well taken care of with the coffee and burritos.

Thank you to our local stores, Top Value, Safeway of Monte Vista and Alamosa, and Walgreens for donating water, Gatorade and fruit for our runners and walkers, we say thank you very much. 

We appreciate Bob Richards from KSLV radio station for being at the race from 5 a.m. until the end of the race doing a live broadcast and for the PBS announcements for Glen’s events. 

Thank you to Amelie Pacheco for her beautiful singing of the National Anthem prior to the start of the 5K race.

Thank you to the Monte Vista Journal and the Alamosa Courier for all their great advertising for these events across the San Luis Valley. 

We would like to thank all the line sponsors for the 5K Run/Walk and Veterans Golf Tournament — James and Janina Medina, Grant and Emily, American Legion Jas G. Hamilton Post No. 53, Hair Experience – Peggy Martinez (In Loving Memory of Justin Moore), Kris, Jess and Jaxxon Gonzales and Andrea Craft, Hogue’s Glass-Stan and Jeannie Crowder, Brian Roberts DDS. and Mary Kay, SLV Building Components-The Polkowske family, Ron and Pat Rinebarger (In Loving Memory of Tracy Aaron Rinebarger), Gunbarrel Station-Skip and Sue McClure, Eddie and Carey Sanchez (In Loving Memory of Rico Nicholas Sanchez), Country Curls – Della Kimberling (In Loving Memory of Van Kimberling and AnneMarie Stone), Kentucky Fried Chicken-Jeff and Sandy Lickteig, Monte Vista Takedown Club, SLV Ski-Hi Stampede, Inc., The Rio Grande Seed & Grain, Peace of Art - Art and Lori, Lexi, Shane, Spencer, April and Leia, Southwest Liquor, and Park Avenue Liquor owned and operated by Michael and Tabitha Valdez.

A special thank you to Wayne Pacheco — Widowmaker Apparel, Jed Ellithorpe and family, Luke Porter and staff at the Monte Vista Golf Course. 

A big thank you to all the wonderful volunteer helpers for registering participants and coordinating the finish line activities that made it all run so beautifully, we couldn’t have done it without your help.

Also, a big thank you to the Hole Sponsors for the golf tournament!

The result of these two events benefits a high school senior boy and girl with a $1,000 financial boost with the beginning of their higher education.

Glen made the ultimate sacrifice on May 2, 2008, while serving in the United States Marine Corps, Operation Iraqi Freedom. We know Glen would be very proud to know all the support and participation he received from our communities in the Valley and from friends and families from various parts of Colorado and Florida to honor him this Memorial weekend. We hope that you all enjoyed yourselves, got to visit with long-time friends and relatives and got some good exercise. The Martinez family hopes to see you all next year! May God bless you all! Semper Fi!

Martinez family