Welcome to your headquarters for the April 15 Centennial Relay and Celebration. Check back here often during the day; we’ll have live updates all day long!

All evening events are on campus, free, and open to the public.

Here’s the approximate schedule for Wed., April 15 (schedule subject to change without notice; that’s what makes it exciting!):

10:15 a.m. Gov. Lynch presents Keene State with a special Centennial proclamation.
10:30 a.m. Runners, representing students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members, relay the proclamation back to Keene.
7:30 p.m. The proclamation reaches Central Square in Keene.
7:45 p.m. The proclamation enters campus at the Appian Gateway on Main Street. Please help us hand it along Appian Way to the stage outside the Student Center.
8 p.m. There’s music, cheering, dancing, hoopla, special remarks, and lots of birthday cake.
8:40 p.m. Fireworks keep the festivities going, viewed from the Oya Hill plaza outside the Zorn Dining Commons.

UPDATE 4/15 9:43 The Campus Safety folks have arrived in Concord; they’ll be escorting the relayers back to Keene so everyone stays safe. This seems like as good a time as any to thank Campus Safety for keeping us posted as well as keeping us safe. These updates are the result of a big group effort; we’ll find time through the day to thank some other people as well. What an exciting day!

UPDATE 4/15 9:54 We have pictures from the State House! For those of you who don’t know them like we do, that’s President Giles-Gee with what we think is the proclamation carrying case in the first one, and Jay Kahn, vice president for finance and planning, in the second. The third is Interim Chief Officer of Diversity and Multiculturalism Dottie Morris, men’s basketball coach Rob Colbert, and Chris Miles, Body Works manager. These pics are from Robin Dutcher, the college spokesperson. She’s sending ‘em faster than we can post ‘em!

UPDATE 4/15 10:06 More pictures coming! Provost Mel Netzhammer laces up his sneaks:

UPDATE 4/15 10:32 At the request of commenter “Michele,” we do have a list [pdf] of the runners and walkers, along with their approximate handoff times. Thanks for the suggestion, Michele.

UPDATE 4/15 10:44 And the runners are off!

UPDATE 4/15 10:46 It appears we were a little premature with that. The runners will be off very soon. To hold you until then, here’s a picture of the Governor reading his proclamation.

UPDATE 4/15 10:51 And they’re off (for real this time)!

UPDATE 4/15 10:58 More great photos from the iPhone of Robin Dutcher…

UPDATE 4/15 11:10 The runners are headed into the first checkpoint (that’s point “B” on our map), which is St. Paul’s School in Concord.

UPDATE 4/15 11:30 They’ve crossed the Hopkinton town line! The excitement of the day must be getting to me; you very nearly had to suffer through a “hopped across the line” type pun. Bet you’re glad I spared you that. Whew!

UPDATE 4/15 11:53 We got some more great photos in from Michael Matros, former KSC director of college relations, who showed up to cheer the runners on at St. Paul’s. Thanks, Michael. And hey, readers, if you take great pictures you’re willing to let us use, please e-mail them to me at lwebb1@keene.edu. Even if we don’t use them today, we’re likely to do lots more sharing in the days ahead. Thanks!

UPDATE 4/15 12:05 According to Joel Huntley, Campus Safety Communication Specialist extraordinaire, the proclamation has passed the Fireside Tavern in Hopkinton. Remember those thanks we said we’d be giving more of later? Joel has been feeding us regular updates all morning, which he’s getting directly from the road. Thanks so much, Joel. Also according to Joel (for those of you who aren’t reading the comments, which all of you should be), if anyone in the area wants to listen to the progress/status updates, they’re on Amateur Repeater 147.030 in Keene.

UPDATE 4/15 12:35 The proclamation is now just about 10.5 miles from the start point, which means we’re a little behind schedule still. We feel sure that between the cross-country team and Kay MacLean and Pauline Dionne, we’ll be back on schedule very soon.

UPDATE 4/15 1:06 More photos! These are from the cell phone of Director of Campus Safety Amanda Warman. The first pic is Adolfo Ramirez and Brandon Bosquet, the second is Adolfo and Brandon handing off to John Bordenet, and the third is John as he heads on his way. I think we may have already made up that time!

UPDATE 4/15 1:26 An early status check reports that everyone who should be at the Mobil station in Henniker, is at the Mobil station in Henniker. That’s Point D on our map, if you’re following along.

Plus, this photo just in from Heather McGreer (center), pictured with Karyn Kaminsky and Karen Crawford, in front of the Hopkinton Town Hall.

UPDATE 4/15 2:02 The runners are currently located at mile 20.5, which should put them in Henniker heading toward Antrim. Go! Go! Go! The sooner you get here, the sooner we get cake (maybe)!

UPDATE 4/15 2:19 Joel heard on the radio ten minutes ago, they were approaching the 202/149 split. Which reminds me of some more folks to thank: the ham radio operators who are helping us relay updates when cell phone service is spotty. Thanks so much. It takes a village to carry a proclamation 50 miles and tell the whole world about it.

UPDATE 4/15 2:31 The runners just went by the intersection of routes 31 and 202, which is the second NH Turnpike intersection. Which means we’re 24.9 miles in — halfway home!

UPDATE 4/15 3:01 They’re 29.3 miles along now, or just about a mile and a half from the Antrim rest area.

UPDATE 4/15 3:40 OK, after a brief bit of confusion in which I thought the proclamation was pi miles away from the Antrim rest area, which would suggest that someone had been running backwards for approximately 1.64 miles for the last half-hour, it turns out they’re actually about half a mile from the Antrim rest area. Of course, in the time it took me to clarify and type this hilarious anecdote, they’ve probably arrived. Yea, Antrim rest area!

UPDATE 4/15 4:00 Currently at mile 34! How can you stand it?! That means they’re between E and F on the map.

UPDATE 4/15 4:31 They’re less than one third mile from Mr. Mike’s in Stoddard.

UPDATE 4/15 4:59 The proclamation is just going by Granite Lake Rd in Stoddard — Mile 39.1! On schedule!

UPDATE 4/15 5:31 They’re just going by the Sullivan Store. Word is, they’re going to slow it down a bit. But we’re so excited! Hardly seems fair.

UPDATE 4/15 5:44 Apologies for not posting this when it happened (about half an hour ago), but one of my coworkers noted the progress of the relay and said, with some excitement, “It’s all downhill from Munsonville!” Indeed it is, my friend. Runners and walkers, you’re doing great.

UPDATE 4/15 6:05 They’re leaving Granite Gorge (that’s point G on our map). So close! And I think I hear music starting down on Appian Way.

UPDATE 4/15 6:28 They’re at Mile 47.2, at the top of the hill just past Sullivan Road.

UPDATE 4/15 6:47 As you know, we have posted many great photos today, thanks to Robin Dutcher, Michael Matros, Amanda Warman, and Heather McGreer. I’m putting together even more to share tomorrow — including pictures of our festivities this evening. If you are one of the apparently numerous people who took pictures today (not to name any names, but I’m looking at you, JD, EV, and AR), and you’re willing to share with the class, send us what you’ve got tonight or tomorrow so I can include them.

UPDATE 4/15 7:06 And they’re in Keene! Last spotted on Washington Street, just going by Frans Auto! And that’s my cue to skedaddle, as you should. Head down to Main Street and Appian Way to cheer folks on, eat some cake, and watch the fireworks. And check back here tomorrow for even more updates.

UPDATE 4/16 9:47 Thanks to all who sent me pictures; we have some great ones! I am hopeful that we’ll be able to get a gallery up tomorrow; right now, I’m still trying to get them organized. As a thank you and a tide-you-over, here’s a sample of last night’s festivities from relay committee chair and magic-maker Rob Colbert:

UPDATE 4/17 1:44 We are, really and truly, working on the photo gallery. While you’re waiting and since you’re here, though, have you seen the excellent video by Steve Hooper at The Keene Sentinel? It’s a really beautiful quick view of Wednesday’s events.

UPDATE 4/17 5:56 At last, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! See the post about the photo gallery at the main KSC100 site, or skip right to the gallery itself.