PENFIELD, N.Y. -- Hundreds of spectators filled the Eastside YMCA gym in Penfield Friday night for the sixth annual hamster races. Like other sports, hamster racing takes dedication, practice, and technique.
“My dad said to stand in front of it so she would come to you and that’s what actually I helped me to win,” Natalie Miller, 8, said.
For the Miller’s, the event has become a family affair. Natalie said her sister competed in the event last year.
“We enjoy going out together and doing things together,” Natalie’s father Jordan Miller said. “It’s a fun little event. They have a good time racing, little competition with a little bit of activities for the kids to do.”
All of this fun is more than just that, however. It is helping to support the Eastside Teen Leaders, a program giving teens ages 11 to 18 years old the opportunity to participate in volunteer service projects and meet other teens leaders all across the northeastern part of the country.
Eastside Teen Leader Graduating Veteran Noel Bucher said when the idea for hamster racing first popped up six years ago, members never thought the ball would really get rolling on it.
“Even just the energy in the room, you can just feel all the excitement. It’s just the fact that we didn’t think this was going to work at first and it’s turned into something as great as this. It’s amazing,” Bucher said.
Last year, the Eastside Teen Leaders raised nearly $1,000 from the fundraiser. They expect to top that number this year.