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Cute competition

Apr 30, 2017 | 8:15 AM

It was a total blowout by Cruz Draude, who scampered his way into a stunning first place victory Saturday in the Gateway Mall’s Baby Crawl.

“[I am] pretty proud of him. He did awesome,” Jacqueline Draude, mother of the nearly one-year-old said. 

“Now we are going to get very competitive,” she joked.

Thirty-seven tots took to the race track in some friendly competition as parents and upwards of 200 people admired the clambering fun.

Divided into five heats, a parent or family member was stationed at each end of the track to coax their young one to the other side using an array of tactics, so long as it did not distract another competitor. 

Some jangled keys, others shook bottles, pacifiers or plush toys, all in an effort to persuade their young one to cross the finish line first.

 

Cruz, on the other hand, was persuaded using pure positive motivation according to Jacqueline, citing some training on the kitchen floor of their home in St. Benedict prior to the event.

Jacqueline was appreciative of the reward for her son — a stroller, a bag full of prizes and toys  — saying how “he doesn’t get anything brand new himself because he is the third kid.”

“He gets hand-me-down everything, so it is pretty awesome he has something brand new for himself,” she said. “We are glad we came. We got some awesome prizes. It is another mark to put in his baby book.”

These were just a few of the nearly $2,000 in prizes distributed to the top five finishing babies, all donated by retailers in the Gateway Mall. Waving entree fees for the event, organizers instead requested those competing bring diapers, formula, gently used clothing or cash donations as a way to assist Family Futures, a partner in the event.

“It is a way of Gateway Mall giving back. This is what we are, this is what we do and this is what we want to give back to the community,” Donna Hordyski, the shopping centres marketing coordinator said while extending an olive branch to Family Futures for their support in hosting the event.

“It is a thrill, honour, a privilege and so much fun.”

With heightened interest, Hordyski hinted at the possibility of hosting another Baby Crawl this fall.

 

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr