You Matter Color Run Published Sept. 5, 2019 By Airman 1st Class Josh W. Strickland Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- “No matter where you come from, you are valuable,” said Master Sgt. Cristian Martinez, 5th Medical Group Health Promotion flight chief. Team Minot Airmen with the 5th MDG Health Promotion Flight organized the “You Matter” 5 km and 10 km Color Run in association with the Task Force True North at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Aug. 20, 2019. This was the seventh annual Color Run. This year, however, everyone wanted a hand in helping out. Agencies from across the base such as Minot AFB Homes, Balfour Beatty Communities and others all played a part in promoting resiliency, help seeking behaviors and telling Team Minot: “You Matter.” “Our big focus is to make sure everyone knows that they are important,” said Martinez. The race kicked off at Bud Ebert Park at 3:45 p.m. Runners sprinted past the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance Center, wound through the security forces training site, darted past the 91st Missile Wing and finished at the park. Those running the 10 km continued through the course again to complete their run. Helping agencies set up booths to welcome participants with snow cones and giveaways, regardless if they were running or not. The helping agencies are centered around providing Airmen and their families what they need to juggle the everyday stressors of life while performing their duties to the unique mission at Minot. “Our helping agencies exist because “You Matter!,” said John Jeziorske, community support coordinator. First to finish the 5 km run by the females was Sofia Anderson with a time of 27:29, and first by the males was Deven Garvin with a time of 22:04. Whether they were finishing first or simply finishing the race, everyone’s goal there was to have fun and get colored with friends and family.