Ready, Set . . . Cinnamon Rolls!

Without the Alumni Soccer game to kick things off last weekend, our Homecoming started a different way: with a starting line and a crowd of people who were happy to be outside together.

The air was cool, the sun was out, and Luke Yoder ‘04 and Marie Yoder ‘27 crossed the finish line first and took home the race’s most coveted prize: a pan of cinnamon rolls. The medals are nice, but the pastry is the real trophy. The tradition continues, and it is still the only prize anyone seems to care about.

The field was a good picture of the Hillcrest family. Elementary students lined up beside alumni who graduated decades before they were born. Kathy Walter from the Class of ‘68 was among them. She runs the course every year, and she’s earned the right to tell the rest of us to keep up.

Although some definitely did, most people never broke a sweat, and that was maybe the point. Parents cheered from the curb, kids traded high fives, and everyone enjoyed themselves. Whether you ran, walked, or just stood at the finish line, the Joetown Classic brought the whole community back to campus.

Thank you to everyone who laced up, volunteered, or showed up to clap. Whether you ran, walked, or just came to cheer, it was a great morning with our community together on campus. Thank you to everyone who joined us and to all the area sponsors who made it possible. We’ll see you next Homecoming, and we’ll save a cinnamon roll for whoever beats Luke and Marie.