A cool Little Compton Church Fair helps break records

By Tom Killin Dalglish
Posted 7/16/16

LITTLE COMPTON – The threatened rain never arrived, and the United Congregational Church's Summer Fair went off without a hitch, and even with a moment of striking drama.

The nine-year old record set by Dan Wykes in 2007 of 22.38 minutes for the 4.8 mile "flat and fast" road race was absolutely shattered by Amas Sang, 27, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, who blew through the course in 22.26 minutes. That's 12 seconds off the previous record.

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A cool Little Compton Church Fair helps break records

Posted

LITTLE COMPTON – The threatened rain never arrived, and the United Congregational Church's Summer Fair July 9 went off without a hitch, and even with a moment of striking drama.

The nine-year old record set by Dan Wykes in 2007 of 22.38 minutes for the 4.8 mile "flat and fast" road race was absolutely shattered by Amas Sang, 27, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, who blew through the course in 22.26 minutes. That's 12 seconds off the previous record.

"Close to 500 people ran," said Sue Hutson, one of the organizers of the Fair for the church. Ms. Huston said she was positioned near the start, doing some last minute preparations for the day's events (the race starting at 9 a.m., kicking off the Fair) when the stampede of runners passed where she was stationed.

"They were just so fast from the get-go," she said. "A lot of people ran faster because it was so cool."

Mr. Sang won $500 for breaking the record, in addition to the prize for first place.

Winning first place among women in the race was Kathleen Diamillo of Providence, whose finishing time was 27:42, about two minutes off the record for women, which is 25.30.

The whole day went very well, Ms. Hutson said. "The dunk tank was specatcularly fun." Both Wilbur & McMahonSchool Principal Joao Arruda and Little Compton Police D.A.R.E. Officer Sue Cressman were volunteer dunkees.

"The lobster lunch was wonderful," Ms. Hutson said, "and there were long lines at the food lines. People loved the fresh oysters."

The dog show drew a crowd ... of dogs. "There were about 30-40 dogs out there," Ms. Huston said.

The silent auction was also a success. "Someone bought a sailboat," she said. "Another thing people were bidding on was watercolor lessons taught by Kris Donovan."

"We had lots of vendors. People enjoyed the crafts and all the things to buy," she said. "And the rock climbing wall was very popular with the young kids."

"Everybody was so nervous about the rain," Ms. Huston said. "But we had a great time, and the crowd stayed all day due to the overcast weather.

"We raised an estimated $34,000, about the same as last year," Ms. Hutson said.

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