Jim and Nadine Turner

If there’s one thing Jim and Nadine Turner have, it’s spirit. And

with four kids and a demanding devotion to the Spirit Run

fund-raiser, they need it.

“I guess we put in about 25 to 30 hours each the week of the

race,” said Jim, who along with wife Nadine has been essential to the

Spirit Run since 1994 when the parents of then-elementary school kids

offered to lend a hand to the growing fund-raiser. Now, three of

their kids who benefited from the run are at Corona del Mar High

School. And though their youngest only has one year left at Lincoln

Elementary, chances are that the Turners will continue to volunteer

even after the last of their kids have left elementary school.

“It’s really fun and a great thing to be a part of,” Nadine said

of the fund-raiser that benefits Andersen, Harbor View, Eastbluff,

Newport Coast and Lincoln elementary schools.

In its 20-year existence, the run has raised more than $1 million

for Newport Beach elementary schools. Last year brought in about

$120,000 and organizers were hopeful that this year’s run, which took

place on Sunday, would match or beat last year’s amount. The run

includes races for adults and enough events for kids to make it the

largest children’s run in Orange County.

“It’s great for the kids to get out ...” Nadine begins the

sentence that husband Jim finishes, “and see adults involved in their

community. And it’s a good place for a lot of kids to get their first

introduction to athletics. There are athletes at Corona del Mar High

who started out here.”

Turners’ most important volunteer tasks include working with the

event’s other 300 volunteers. At different times during the Spirit

Run one or both of the Turners might be signing up new volunteers or

helping match up their time and talent with event needs. Nadine often

works to woo sponsors, and along with Jim takes on a lot of the less

glamorous jobs, too. Race day is the prime example. They show up at 4

a.m. to get the course ready, put the volunteers in action and take

on countless troubleshooting tasks. Then, after the runners and

spectators have gone home, there’s cleanup to be done, too.

“It’s a long day,” Jim said, with Nadine chiming in almost in

unison, “but it’s worth it.”

-- Story by June Casagrande,

Photo by Don Leach