All proceeds will be donated to her two young daughters.
A memorial 5K race and walk will take place on Saturday, September 8 at Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park to remember former colleague and friend Margaret Anderson. Parking and registration packet pickup will take place 7:00-8:30 a.m. at Ferry Hill Plantation in Sharpsburg, Maryland. Participants will be shuttled to the Antietam Campground (C&O Canal mile post 69.4) where the race will begin at 9:00 a.m. An after-event gathering will take place at the conclusion of the race at Ferry Hill. The race is limited to 500 participants and T-shirts are available for the first 300 registrants. Pre-registration is available on the Canal Trust website: <http://www.CanalTrust.org/MargaretAndersonMemorial5K>. The pre-registration fee is $20.00, and the day of registration fee is $25.00. All proceeds from the race will be donated to Margaret Anderson’s family for the care of her two young daughters. For further information, contact Race Director Tom Shantz at 304-676-3257.
This 5K event will honor former C&O Canal Park Ranger Margaret Anderson who was slain in the line of duty on January 1, 2012, while working at Mount Rainier National Park. From 2004 to 2008 Margaret was a law enforcement park ranger stationed in the Palisades District of C&O Canal National Historical Park. While at C&O Canal, she served with the highest level of dedication and professionalism and took advantage of all opportunities to assist the public and keep park visitors safe.
Margaret always displayedan upbeat and positive attitude among her peers. To the public she portrayed the image of a professional park ranger who demonstrated solid law enforcement skills which saw her through many challenging encounters. She also excelled as an EMT and derived a personal sense of satisfaction from providing treatment and care to sick and injured visitors.
While growing up, Margaret was instilled with the value of helping others. She also developed a love of the outdoors, and these two passions led her to a career with the National Park Service as a law enforcement ranger. Margaret was married to Park Ranger Eric Anderson and was a devoted mother to her two young daughters.
On January 1, 2012, Margaret was shot and killed as she confronted a 24 year old man who had failed to stop at a vehicle inspection station that was set up to check for snow tires and chains. Unknown to park staff at the time, the assailant had already shot four other individuals and was attempting to elude law enforcement. The encounter quickly escalated and Margaret was shot and killed before she could exit her vehicle. The attacker then shot at other law enforcement officers, before fleeing on foot into the woods where he later died of exposure. Margaret’s actions along with those of other law enforcement officers were credited with saving the lives of park visitors.
This event will serve as a reminder of the sacrifice Margaret gave for her job and the visitors she protected.
