The last two Saturdays in Bridgeport have been among my favorites. June 4 was the ABB Summer Kickoff and Food Truck Festival and this past Saturday, June 11, was the Derek Hotsinpiller Fallen Stars Memorial 5K. What one word comes to mind when I think of either? That would be community - hands down. 

 

To give our hometown opportunity to kick off the summer like we do the holiday season, Summer Kickoff was launched in 2019. Though the Associated Businesses of Bridgeport is the organizing arm, the City of Bridgeport enthusiastically gets involved with all departments – Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Police, Fire & Emergency – working hard to make it an A1 event. ABB member businesses get on board, creating fun things for kids and families to do. This year, that included clown balloon artists, sidewalk chalk, face painting, colorful artwork, and non-stop bubbles. Other pop-up tents offered giveaways, from sunglasses to backpacks, water bottles and other novelties. Non-profits showed up to promote their causes and food trucks offered for purchase their sweet, savory, and thirst-quenching specialties. The ABB brought in the giant sandbox and Parks & Rec sprung for the awesome inflatables. For the second year, the Kickoff also featured a cruise-in car show with about 75 sparkling clean rides on display.

 

As is tradition, “80s Enough” was the featured band. Also on the streets were local artists Greg Harrison and Ben DeFazio, and for the first time, Bridgeport’s own 8-year-old DJ, “BHos,” brought tunes from the porch of the Benedum Civic Center.

 

Another 2022 addition was the T&L Big Dog Eating Contest with winner Joey Beverly consuming 23 in a 10-minute period. Other highlights were the beach ball drop, crowd trivia with prizes, and recognition of the BHS Thespian Troupe, heading to international competition this summer. Healthy Harrison took the stage to announce the “Change Your State” weight loss winners and awarding $10,000 in prizes. For the gals, it was 1^st place Brandi Griffith, 2^nd place Carolyn Gandee, and 3^rd place Bethany Cutright. For the guys, it was 1^st place Jason Cutright, 2^nd place Joshua Steer, and 3^rd place Randy Utt.

 

There were a lot of moving parts, and a lot of text exchanges and phone calls took place – not only for the past few months, but all during the June 4 event.

 

The main objective was for our hometown to have a summer blast and enjoy each other’s company; to take one night to just embrace community and the summer season. Like so many of you, I enjoyed time with family and friends, and had opportunity talk to folks I haven’t seen in months, even years. Like Light Up Night in December, I think Summer Kickoff is becoming a cherished event for locals.

Moving on, the Fallen Stars Memorial 5K – honoring the late, great hometown hero, U.S. Deputy Marshal Derek Hotsinpiller – happened Sat., June 11. It was 11 years ago that Hotsinpiller - who grew up here in Bridgeport, played BHS sports, and loved to run the streets of our city – received a fatal gun wound while delivering a warrant. To pay tribute to his service – and the service of all law enforcement officers – hundreds come out annually to run and walk that very same route that Deputy Marshal Hotsinpiller once frequented. The event also serves as a fundraiser for the Jim and Derek Hotsinpiller Scholarship Fund which has, to date, helped 59 young people pursue education in law enforcement and related fields. And if that all isn’t awesome enough, the virtual race has picked up speed the last few years, so now supporters run/walk a 5K in their own communities, raising those important scholarship dollars. This year, all 50 states and a handful of countries were represented virtually.

 

This year, it was race coordinator Ashley Hotsinpiller’s wish that 1,000 participants would register. It was close. A total of 861 registered, with 514 of those signed up for the in-person event. Next year, we’re going to do this, so be ready to recruit all your friends and family members.

 

Leading up to the big day, the weather forecast was good. But when folks showed up at Bridgeport City Park to pick up their race packets, it was raining. Still, enthusiasm and smiles prevailed. Music played, racers stretched and chatted enthusiastically. And that, my friends, is my favorite part of this race: LEOS, hard core runners, baby stroller-pushing parents and grandparents, dog-walking community members, little children and seniors were all uniting for a common cause. After opening ceremonies – including payer by Pastor Mike Hopkins, the National Anthem by Carlton Smith, recognition of scholarship winners, and words of welcome from the Hotsinpiller family – everyone moved to the starting point. U.S. Deputy Marshal Dustin Hotsinpiller, older brother of Derek, officially started the race and off they went. It was such a great moment.

 

In the past, I have trained and run the race. This year, I opted to walk my dogs, and it was still a rewarding experience. One of my pups is up in years, and she even received plenty of support along the way. I had the pleasure of walking with a family that included two little girls. They were so sweet to cheer her on. Both dogs received plenty of love. In fact, love was a common thread throughout the event.

Dozens of community members manned water stations, offering not only a cold drink, but words of encouragement. Those individuals included everyone from little kids to Bridgeport Mayor Andy Lang and his family. Members of Bridgeport PD kept the streets safe and closed to traffic. Dozens of volunteers helped set up, beginning as early as 5 a.m. They registered participants, handed out race numbers and T-shirts, offered cold drinks and fruit, sold tickets to basket drawings, and many more necessary tasks. Again, there were so many moving parts.

 

Bridgeport’s own Travis Jones emceed the awards ceremony, and it was awesome to see every one of the winners recognized. I left feeling very happy. Thank you, Hotsinpiller family, race committee and the Fallen Stars 5K Community. You have quite a gem of an event.

See a list of 5K winners HERE. 

 

See a portion of the race launch below. See other video clips on our Connect-Bridgeport Instagram page.