True story, in my forty years, including several helping organize and hold MTCC’S fundraiser triathlon, it wasn’t until I had to type the word that I learned it wasn’t spelled “Triathalon.” I guess by that logic, they would also need to be called “Athaletes” … Anyhow, no spelling bees in my immediate future. So, this weekend, Western Montana hosts a couple of events I’d like you to consider either registering for, or supporting as a volunteer: those races are The Garden City Triathlon and the Montana Mucker.

 This Saturday, September 6th marks the 28th season that Western Montana will have hosted the Garden City Triathlon, this Olympic-distance, open water race is a one of a kind in the Missoula Valley, and benefits two awesome organizations like ours: Montana Campus Compact and Team Stampede. I work for Montana Campus Compact, we’re a higher education service consortium, which means “we” are 17 Montana colleges and universities, and a small statewide staff hosted by UM. Primarily we work on supporting college student volunteerism and campus-community partnerships. We deploy AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers around Montana and Wyoming, and have been at this for just over twenty years. Registration is closed now for the Garden City Triathlon, but if you show up in the morning with a checkbook, who knows what might be able to happen. The race offers a $1500 prize purse, and MTCC is excited to partner with Team Stampede to pull off this fun event.

Meanwhile, the Montana Mucker benefits Missoula CASA, a nonprofit that serves abused and neglected kids, is a locally-grown all-comers welcome alternative to the sort-of-a-benefit- for- a-charity race that aggressively markets itself and which calls Triathlons “for sissies.” Whatever, I won’t dignify this space with any more attention for the competition. I’m just proud to live in a town that hosts a locally-grown alternative. The Mucker also happens this Saturday, September 6th.

 Remember, if you can’t race, both events need volunteers, and you can always make a charitable donation to either or both causes!