: I'm not one of the original organisers, there were a few others involved before I was ? Voorhees Place and Stanley Hodgson. I was related to a person, Cecil U. Minors, my uncle. Many years ago he asked me for some assistance in the 24th of May race. This was when it used to end at Court Street.

I said 'yes', not knowing anything about racing. But by paying attention, I learned the ins and outs of organising it. Unexpectedly, I stayed longer than I thought. I've now been involved for more than 40 years.

As fate would have it, my uncle passed and I continued in the organisation of the race with other members ? Mr. Berwyn Cann, Mr. Vernon Jones, who has since passed, and Mr. Cecil VanPutten, who has since passed. Mr. Cann and I continued with the organisation as much as we could with the help of others.

A number of things but generally, I would see that there was a place for the race to start and that the runners had properly filled out the entry forms with all their particulars. The race was usually run from Hamilton to Somerset or Hamilton to St. George's although in the last years it's been Somerset to Hamilton (the race ends at Bernard Park). In the early years there were just about 50 runners, then 60, then 100, 120, 125 and up to the present time, where it's closer to 500. No and neither did my uncle.

In those years, no matter who asked you to help out ? your mother, father, cousin, uncle, grandmother ? you automatically did it. It was getting exciting and I wanted to learn more about organising it. By the time my uncle died, I was completely into it. Every year we whipped up enthusiasm for the race. We would time ourselves to let people know that the 24th of May was around the corner and they should be thinking about the race. Yes, my daughter and my son ? Dr. Gina Marie Tucker and Kim Paul Tucker. Mr. Cann has also involved his sons, Trevor and Owen. I realised as time goes on ? I hit 70, then 75 and 76 ? age makes you tired sometimes. Last year I had to call on additional help and Mr. Cann had the same feeling, so we agreed he'd call in his sons and I would call my daughter and my son.

Five o'clock. I get up early to make sure (officials) were at the start and the finish and before that, I would have to hand out the race numbers and make sure entry forms were filled out correctly. Sometimes you'd see a single name, Nathan. Is that the first name or last name? What's the full name? So it's little things but they're important. By the time I got involved I had gone 30. I was too old to run a race. It's a great enjoyment for me. I used to enjoy seeing the race. I really enjoyed watching it grow from small numbers to great numbers. It's been an exciting part of my life.

After I got involved I discovered I looked forward to it more and more every year. I get excited this time of the year even now, although I'm taking a back seat in organising it. But it's important for all Bermuda ? there would be no unofficial start to summer without the race.

Mr. Cann and I would, at one time, get phone calls all the time in the days leading up to the race. We're both easy-going people. I don't think either of us really likes to be in the spotlight. A lot of teamwork and sacrifice has gone into this race. I don't want to seem like it was me alone. I was surprised but I have had honours over the years. After taking good care of the organisation at Somerset Cricket Club, I would go in the lead car and watch the race. I gave a warning to spectators that the race had started and runners would be coming behind the car shortly. One thing about being in the lead car, you get to the finish line first and see who comes in first. There's a lot of backing of participants. People have their favourites and bet a lot of money on them ? even if it's just that they finish! People take it very seriously. That's why I've stuck in there year after year.

One year, a certain female entered the race and either myself or Mr. Cann made a mistake with her age. You know how women are ? she let us know about it at the end.

As you know, the race is not open to overseas runners. It (was my responsibility to) check every entry form. There was one man who entered, I forget his name it may have been Howard, who had a Bermudian name and gave a Bermuda address.

He was an American here visiting, staying with a Bermuda family. He was a top-notch runner, competing in the Masters division. He won a prize and the experienced runners asked how he could win when he's not Bermudian and doesn't live here.

It was the one time I slipped up. You're not supposed to take it for granted that participants are who they say they are.

We had a certain character connected with the race ? Alabama (a popular St.George's character well known for being drunk in public).

He showed up slightly inebriated and said he wanted to enter. I said, 'No, you can't enter the race', but then decided to let him run. He made it. He beat some of the others and actually won a prize. One of the most outstanding wasn't a character but a legend, (80-year-old) Ludwig Cann. He has never missed a race. I admire his determination and his will to run the race every year consistently.Me and the other organisers have kept it together for years. The key is our dedication and our commitment. If we promise to do 'x' we will do it.

If we say we'll be there at 8 a.m., we will. It's a big thing with us. We all take it seriously. We make sure everybody enjoys themselves.

The laid-out course is the course the organisers feel is the best course for the race. Going to St. George's is fine but you can't change the airlines' arrival and if something happens to the bridge, it's a disaster ? the end of the race. Yes. We were school friends and, coincidentally, we were living in Canada at the same time.

My wife Marie and I have been married for 54 years. She was very supportive. Some of the meetings were late. Sometimes I wasn't home for supper. People used to call my house sometimes up until midnight the night before the race. There's been some exceptional finishes. There was a time when Stanley Burgess was running ? he had his own style. Everybody used to wait for Stanley Burgess to finish. That was a must. A lot of people were upset with the decision to finish the race at the National Sports Centre instead of Bernard Park. As a well-known organiser, I was bombarded by people who were upset and I had to tell them: 'It's nothing to do with me'.

To help commemorate the history of the May 24 Bermuda Day Marathon, Bermuda CableVision is donating a copy of , penned by Community Affairs and Sport Minister Dale Butler, to every school in Bermuda on behalf of the award recipients.