MISSOULA — Diane Wells-Cherry is just one of dozens of volunteers at an aid station at Missoula's Bonner Park making sure Missoula Marathon runners have what they need as they near the end of the race.
"This is the Missoula spirit," Wells-Cherry said.
"I'm volunteering, here to give out water, helping encourage people to keep running and just enjoying the whole experience," she said.
Volunteers handed out water and Powerade to runners needing that extra boost before taking on the last two miles.
At the same station were Missoula County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Micah Hill and his wife, Nicole.
"This was just a way to give back to our community a little bit here with a great group of volunteers behind me who are helping to make sure that our runners are having fun and everybody's being hydrated and staying safe," Dr. Hill said.
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"Hydration and any first aid supplies or anything they might need at this point in the race, and we just bring cheer and a lot of positivity," Nicole Hill said.
And it's not just the volunteers cheering on the runners. Riane, Krissy and Katya watched from the side of the road, rooting on their friends.
"I'm so very proud of them. They did an amazing thing," Riane Eisen said.
"Our friends have been training for this for so long and working so hard and just like to see it all pay off for them. We just wanted to cheer them on," Krissy Clements said.
"Oh my gosh, it's exhilarating. I just want to cheer on and hug every single person. I'm so proud of them," Katya Potkonjak said.
Volunteer Jo Ruby coaches high school cross country.
"I have a lot of kids out here running for Big Sky High School and just to cheer them on, and they see me, and they get so excited. One of them hugged me, got Gatorade all over me. Who cares!" Ruby said.
Volunteer and pastor Dan Cravy wants the runners to feel at home in Missoula.
"It's great that they love being here, and we want them to feel like they're welcomed into great hospitality," Cravy said.
"There's such a good sense of community here in Missoula for everyone, and we're so lucky to live in a great place," Clements said.
