A record worth taking a licking
<p>Nine-year-old Jadyn Freeman, left, and 11-year-old Brandon Pastras lick ice cream cups at the Greyhound Park and Event Center in Post Falls on Saturday.</p>
<p>Cyndi Johnson Lempesis, mother of the late Jordan Johnson, dabs ice cream from the face of husband Chuck. Cyndie completed the 10K Jordan Johnson Memorial Fun Run prior to joining the crowd for the attempt to break the world record.</p>
POST FALLS - So maybe the record didn't fall - but it was still a valiant effort.
On Saturday morning at the Greyhound Park and Event Center in Post Falls, not long after the third annual Jordan Johnson Memorial Fun Run, around 650 people licked a free cup of ice cream.
Some of the kids went all-out, their faces covered with sticky orange goodness. The parents were less intense, but still focused on rapid ice cream consumption.
Much was at stake: The spirited crowd was trying to break an unofficial world record - last year, allegedly, 2,694 people in Rock Island, Ill., ate ice cream at the same time.
"I think it was a game try," said John Richter of Post Falls. "I think it was a pretty good attempt to bring people together. Post Falls is that kind of town."
Even though it fell short, local folks enjoyed the attempt. The tasty cups of ice cream, donated by the Idaho Dairymen's Association, were much appreciated.
"Yummy," said 5-year-old Rylan Deguzman of Post Falls. "I ate all of it."
He indulged with his sister, 2-year-old Ashlyn, and mom Christine.
"It was good. It tasted like one of those orange creamcicles," Christine said.
Event organizers are determined to keep trying. According to Ryan Davis, executive director of the Kootenai County Boys & Girls Club, a world-record attempt will take place again at next year's fun run.
"Having close to 650 ice cream participants, I think it's a great start," Davis said. "I was blown away - 650 is phenomenal. Hopefully, 650 bring a friend next year."
The Jordan Johnson event - a 5K and 10K race named after a Post Falls High School student who died in 2006 of an enlarged heart - drew about 200 participants. Proceeds benefited Boys & Girls Club programs.
"We actually had 70 people sign up (Saturday) that weren't pre-registered," said event chair Rich Houser. "So we actually had more people at this race than we've had at the prior races."
Runners took off at 9 a.m., trotting along the Centennial Trail. Ice cream eaters assembled just before 11.
Brandon Pastras of Post Falls, 11, lined up alongside his buddy, 9-year-old Jadyn Freeman. The two boys attacked their ice cream with reckless abandon.
Young Brandon, perhaps still suffering from brain freeze, used two words to describe his Greyhound Park experience:
"It's awesome," he said.