Kshetragna met Jason Loverich this morning while she was running with the torch. He was out on a 12-mile training run going in the opposite direction but turned round and ran with her for a while until they reached our support car. Good luck with your training Jason, and thanks for running with the World Harmony Run today.

Our first ceremony of the day was at the Ann Arbor Community Center where we met four children and four of the members of staff.

There had been planned to be about 20 children at the Community Center but unfortunately they were at another event, however the four remaining children got our undivided attention.

Many thanks to Yolanda Whiten, Executive Director of the Community Center.

In Dearborn we visited Salina Elementary School where ACCESS (Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services: www.accesscommunity.org) have a summer program for 150 children.

We ran into the school and over 135 children cheered us and the sound was deafening.

The children, volunteers and members of staff do not normally attend the program on a Friday, but such was their keenness and enthusiasm to meet us they attended to greet us and share their dreams and wishes for harmony.

The children were so wonderful and sweet. One little girl asked for our autographs and wanted to know the names of all our runners.

They all ran around the playing field with the torch and in a large circle passed the torch to one another.

Many, many thanks to Bassam Gobah, Coordinator for Recreational Facility Program.

After this event we visited the Arab American Museum (www.arabamericanmuseum.org).

In Southgate the team participated in the inaugural Mayor’s 1 Mile Youth Walk & Run as part of Southgate’s Heritage Days Weekend.

There we met Mayor Joseph G. Kuspa who held the torch with his members of staff.

He was so glad that we could be part of this special event in Southgate. Kapila Castoldi, our Michigan Co-ordinator offered the Mayor a art print of Sri Chinmoy's entitled "World-Harmony." The Mayor had the whole team sign the back and expressed his gratitude.

After the event many people got the opportunity to hold the torch.

In the evening we were joined by Jeremy who came all the way from Grand Rapids to generously treat us to an evening meal. A big, big thank you!! After a long intense day having a meal in a restaurant was a godsend.

Thanks to Kapila, from neighbouring areas we received letters of support for the run from Mayor Paul Schreiber of Ypsilanti and Mayor William Wild of Westland, Mayor Daniel Guzzi of Rockwood and Mayor Joseph Peterson of Wyandotte. Your wishes of support are much appreciated.

Thank you so much to the Holiday Inn Express in Monroe for offering us four rooms for the night. It means so much to us to have such a comfortable place to rest after a long day!

– Kokila and Mark

Distance: 70 miles

Team Members:
Atulya Berube (San Diego), Drsalu Gruenstaeudel (Austria), Vladimir Salnacov (Moldova), Mark Collinson (England), Kokila Chamberlain (England), Surya Smolennikova (Russia), Kshetragna Ulanova (Russia), Dima Grygorievski (Ukraine), Sukhada Korshunova (Russia), Salil Wilson (Australia), Kapila Castoldi (Ann Arbor)

Harmonemail:
You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.

Gallery: See more images!