The day dawned very warm and sunny, great for enticing new comers out on the courses, but way to hot and muggy for the serious orienteers. Two hundred and eleven people ran, walked or strolled around 175 courses. Some of the strollers came in finishing ice cream cones from Great Brook Farm's own ice cream stand. (It's a working farm with the cows supplying the main ingredient.) There were a bunch of people trying orienteering for the first time who also went out on a second course. Thanks to everyone who put up NOD posters and spread the word about this particular event.

Thanks again to the Brunton Company, the sponsor for all the National Orienteering Day Events across the country on this weekend. For several years now they have donated the compasses which we award as prizes during the NOD events. Below is the list of winners for the five compasses and the ten free entry passes to a NEOC event. Winners were determined by a random number drawing, mostly from the beginner courses, and one from each of the other courses.

Compass Winners
Alex Green - Orange Course, Philips Academy
Clougherty - Yellow Course
Morgan Ingari - Yellow Course, Concord Academy
Newton-Cheh - White Course
Taylor Family - White Course
Free NEOC Event Pass Winners
Mikalac & Mason - Green Course
Tom Jones - Orange Course
James Benedict - Yellow Course, Troop 507
Joshua Rivera - Yellow Course
Snell Family - "
Helen/Beverly Young "
Dean Cote - White Course
Nicole Fandel - " , Concord Academy
Amy Latvakokko - White Course
Timothy Wescott - "

This is where penmanship really counts on the registration form so I can mail the prizes to the winners.

Thanks to the band of helpers who kept the event running smoothly: Caroline Fleming, Pete Lane, Tim Parson, Patti Miller, Ruth Johnson, Jim Paschetto, Andy Hall, Dan Westerberg, Dennis Struble; and the junior volunteers: Ethan Hall, Ceire Fleming, Ben & Meg Parson. A special thanks to the course setter, Bill Pullman, whose course notes are included at the end to show how a course setter approaches the challenge of setting courses for absolute beginners to advanced competitors.