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Community Corner

Running (and Walking) to Support the Chest

Community members of all ages support the Five Towns Community Chest at a 5K on Sunday.

Roughly 150 runners and walkers of all ages met at ’s front lawn bright and early this past Sunday morning to stretch and prepare for the First Annual Five Towns Community Chest 5K Run and Family Walk.

Athletes wore shirts from past races such as the and East Rockaway’s Building Homes for Heroes 5K Run and Walk, and were all out to support the . 

Rebecca Samson has been running for three years and brought her husband and daughter along to run and support the community.

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“I started [running] to clear my head and get a workout,” Samson said. “Today, I’m mostly here to be with my friends and support Five Towns and the community chest.”

Steve Spiro, chest board member and co-chair of the event, not only played an integral role in putting the race together this year, but he also participated and joined the front of the pack of runners.

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“It’s nice that the community is turning out in such large numbers for the benefit of the community,” Spiro said.

Sponsors from Lifetime Fitness, , Dime Savings Bank and many others supported the race.

All of the proceeds will go directly into the Five Towns Community Chest, an organization set up to support agencies such as , , as well as other agencies throughout the Five Towns.

Five Towns auxiliary police officer Sgt. David Spier was one of 13 officers blocking street corners and directing traffic throughout the race.

“We have been planning this for a few months now,” Spier said. “We just try to make sure traffic does not get into the race and make sure everyone participating has a good time.” 

Full race results can be found here.

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