2007 Community Award - Publix

There are those who will tell you they run in order to eat more. Food motivates many a runner and sometimes the best tasting food is what awaits you after crossing that finish line at a weekend race. Gulf Winds race directors have known for a long time that they have a friend in the winner of this year’s Community Award. The place “where shopping is a pleasure,” Publix Supermarkets, can always be counted upon to help provide food for races. Whether it’s one of the eleven stores in the Tallahassee area or one of the corporate offices in Jacksonville, the questions are few and the generosity is grand!

Founded in 1930, Publix always prides itself in the practice of giving back to the community. We have been told on many occasions that Publix is proud to be a supporter of the Gulf Winds Track Club (GWTC). We are lucky to have such a successful entity so strongly committed to our running community by helping so many races. We appreciate these actions and this level of commitment. Of course there is a unique connection between GWTC and Publix in that one source of GWTC support is the club’s own special Hall of Fame member, Jessie Close, who has also been a star Publix employee for more than 34 years. We are pleased to have him here tonight to accept the 2007 GWTC Community Award for Publix Supermarkets.