Mayor's Message
I want to tell you about a lesser known but cherished tradition that dates back to the 1980s and has involved hundreds of people over the years. It’s the annual St. George-Ibigawa, Japan marathon exchange.
In conjunction with the Washington County School District, the City of St. George recently sent a delegation consisting of City and school district officials, elite runners, and ten ninth-graders selected from an essay writing competition for a weeklong stay with Japanese host families. This unique marathon exchange has been around since 1989! All those I’ve talked to have told me that it is a life-changing experience.
Located 250 miles west of Tokyo, Ibigawa is not easy to get to. Most of our group took a shuttle from St. George to Las Vegas. We then flew from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and from Los Angeles to Tokyo. After a short flight from Tokyo to Nagoya, we took another bus ride to Ibigawa. The trip started at 4 a.m. on a Tuesday and culminated with a warm welcome from Ibigawa residents and town officials at 10:45 p.m. Wednesday evening.
The trip warmed hearts and opened minds. Our hosts were welcoming, friendly, and beyond accommodating. It was an action-packed four complete days:
There were awe-inspiring sights for our group to see.
Our students had frequent interactions with their Japanese counterparts.
Everyone stayed with a host family.
On marathon day, members of our group took part in either the half marathon or Ibigawa’s version of the Mayor’s Walk.
If you know a current eighth-grade student who may be interested in this trip for their ninth grade year, encourage them to apply for the trip in the spring. Bookmark stgeorgemarathon.com, and keep your eyes peeled for when the application date begins. It’s an opportunity worth exploring.
