Bellone Announces North Shore-LIJ Health System as Presenting Sponsor for Suffolk County Marathon
More than 1,700 Participants Registered to Run
SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY – (May 15, 2015) Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced today that North Shore-LIJ Health System has been named as a presenting sponsor for the Inaugural Suffolk Marathon and Half Marathon to Support of Our Veterans on Sunday, September 13, 2015. The announcement comes on the eve of Armed Forces Day.
“We are extremely excited to announce North Shore-LIJ Health System as a partner to help us make Suffolk County’s inaugural race the best it can be as we have wonderful amenities to offer our runners, volunteers and their families,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. “Our hope is that this partnership will help us continue to build this event into a premier attraction for years to come. We are also thrilled with North Shore-LIJ’s commitment to helping us raise funds for veteran services throughout the County.”
“We are honored to be a sponsor for the first Suffolk County Marathon. It is fitting that we are a sponsor since the proceeds are helping veterans,” said Winnie Mack, regional executive director of the North Shore LIJ Health System. “The North Shore LIJ Health System has made a strong commitment to care for veterans in the communities we serve as well as our employees who are veterans.”
“I would like to thank North Shore LIJ Health System as they are a wonderful corporate citizen of Long Island, and we look forward to working together with them to make this one of the world-class marathons,” said Mike Polansky, president of the Greater Long Island Running Club. “I also thank County Executive Bellone for his vision and for making all of this possible.”
“I am truly delighted to be a part of the community. From the bottom to the top, we have such a wonderful assembly of officials in our government, representatives in our various races and veteran organizations and in our veterans community,” said Tom Ronayne, Director of Suffolk County Veteran Services. “As we say in the military, we are all brothers and sisters. By extension we are now family with North Shore LIJ, and I am delighted to have them as part of the extended military and veteran family.”
As a presenting sponsor, North Shore LIJ Health System will be included on all race related materials and featured in the Finish Line Festival area, and have their logo included on the start/finish race banners, mile markers, and on the front of all participant and volunteer t-shirts.
Gold Star Parents Tim Scherer and Dan Murphy were in attendance for the announcement. Mr. Scherer and Mr. Murphy are prominent figures in the local running and veteran communities as both have organized well-established races in the region in honor of their sons who lost their lives in the line of duty.
The Annual Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer “I DID THE GRID” Run/Walk in East Northport set for Saturday, May 23 and the Lt. Michael P. Murphy 4-Mile Run Around the Lake in Lake Ronkonkoma scheduled on Saturday, June 27 – along with the Suffolk County Marathon and Half Marathon – are part of the Suffolk County Veterans Running Series.
The series serves as an opportunity for residents to participate in local races while helping to raise additional funds for local veteran service groups. Participants who run or volunteer in all of the races of the veterans running series will receive a commemorative coin.
More than 120 marines from across the country are scheduled to fly in to participate in the “I DID THE GRID” Run/Walk. The marines will be running in cadence with the non-profit veterans’ organization, Team RWB.
“We recognize all those who were lost in past wars and conflicts,” said Tim Scherer, Gold Star Father and organizer of the Annual Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer Memorial “I DID THE GRID” Run/Walk. “We encourage you to please come out as there are a lot of firsts this year, including the Suffolk County Marathon and Half Marathon and the Suffolk County Veterans Running Series. And the Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer Memorial “I DID THE GRID” Run/Walk will be the first in the series. We can all play a part in changing a veteran’s life.”
“County Executive Bellone has always been an extremely strong supporter of veterans, taking hold of veterans causes and making things happen,” said Dan Murphy, Gold Star Father and organizer of the Lt. Michael P. Murphy Race Around the Lake. “These six races, including our race on June 27, in the series are absolutely wonderful. In the special operations teams all around the world, Suffolk County has a reputation of really knowing how to honor their heroes and that word gets around. Suffolk County and its citizens deserve a round of applause because they have put the County on the map.”
The full list of the races in the Veterans Running Series includes:
May 23: The Annual Cpl. Christopher G. Scherer “I DID THE GRID” Run Walk at Pulaski Elementary School, East Northport
June 27: Lt. Michael P. Murphy 4-Mile Run Around the Lake, Lake Ronkonkoma
July 4: Firecracker 5K at Dowling College, Oakdale
September 12: Cow Harbor Warriors’ Captain Joseph J. Boccia Jr. USMC 4-Mile Warrior Run at Crab Meadow Beach Park, Northport
September 13: Suffolk County Marathon and Half Marathon to Support Our Veterans Presented by North Shore LIJ Health System at Heckscher State Park, East Islip
November 7: Long Island Run for the Warriors, Lindenhurst
To date, more than 1,600 runners throughout the country have participated to run in the Suffolk County Marathon, which is a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon.
For more information on the race as well as sponsorship opportunities, visit www.suffolkmarathon.com, www.facebook.com/stevebellone or www.suffolkcountyny.gov.
