About 31 residents, ranging in age from grade school to 60-plus, turned out to run, throw and jump during the first Peabody & Burns Community Track Meet on Saturday at the school track. The brainchild of Brian Lightner, track and field coach at Peabody-Burns High School, the purpose of the day of competition was to have a ?laid-back, fun and casual? community event that would promote physical fitness for residents of all ages, stir interest in track and field among young students and provide a service project for his high school team. The docket of events started with a 5-kilometer run at 10 a.m., then continued through 17 additional events ranging from throwing Frisbees and tennis balls, to traditional field events like shot put and high jump, finishing with a series of sprints, hurdles, relays and a ?Jogger?s Mile,? where the winner is the person who comes closest to predicting his or her finishing time. Participants competed for ribbons in age categories. Lightner said the event was funded with a $400 grant through the Peabody Community Foundation plus some funds from the city recreation budget.
