Watershed race a success

Posted by Ellie Vasko on June 18, 2023

They came to save the watershed and they left knowing their efforts are helping make that happen.

Concord Township and Newlin Grist Mill held a 5k and duck races Saturday, to fundraise for water quality monitoring equipment at the grist mill.

Steve Jacobs, Concord Township’s Parks and Recreation director, said that the event exceeded the number of 5k participants anticipated, with close to 130 runners. Jacobs added that several community members put lots of time and effort into planning the event and it was nice to see such ‘phenomenal’ results.

The ducks have an audience as they head into the final turn.

“It’s the first time we are doing this event, so it’s exciting to be partnering with the grist mill on this and bring communities together,” Jacobs said. “We’ve worked on this since the winter of 2022, so a lot of preparation and outreach went into the races,” he said.

Jacobs’s sister, Amanda Jacobs was one of the 5k race’s participants. She said she felt inspired to run in support of her brother, Concord Township, and her childhood at the Newlin Grist Mill.

“I grew up in Garnet Valley. The grist mill is always such a wonderful place to walk around and explore nature.” Amanda Jacobs said.

While the runners paid a $35 entry fee to take part in the 5k, people sponsored 353 rubber ducks at $20 per duck — or $50 for three ducks —to support the watershed effort. The rubber ducks were dumped out of buckets into the creek, where the current carried them downstream. Volunteers fished the ducks out of the water with nets.

Linda Reigel placed first in the duck race, with duck number 34, winning a prize of $1,000, while Tony Rock won the 5k race, finishing in 20 minutes and 24 seconds. Rock then ran back to his wife, who was walking the race with their baby in a stroller, finishing the 5k twice. Rock said he loves running 5k trails, noting that the grist mill trail was a great run.

Newlin Grist Mill Director Tony Shahan said that Concord Township and the grist mill have been working together on a watershed protection task force and that the money raised will go towards a hand-held water-quality monitor made by YSI.

Shahan, in his 15th year managing the 160-acre property, said he continually tries to hold community events, like the 5k, to bring the community together and remind Concord’s residents of the township’s unique historic and geographic landscape.

“[The goal of the Newlin Grist Mill] is to preserve and present the site, both the natural side and the historic side for the enjoyment and the pleasure of the public,” Shahan said. “We take very seriously serving our community and being an active part of it, not a drain.”

Shahan said he was proud of the event and the impact it will have on the grist mill.

“It was wonderful, absolutely wonderful. We met our fundraising goal of $10,000,” Shahan said. “It will be used to buy monitoring equipment so we can do a better job of monitoring our water quality in our community as part of a broader effort to protect our watershed.”

(Photos by Rich Schwartzman)

About Ellie Vasko

Ellie Vasko is a 2022 graduate of Unionville High School and a rising sophomore at George Washington University. She has written for the GW Hatchet and Unionville Post. She is interning with Chadds Ford Live this summer.