A Great Kickoff

To The Labor Day Weekend

To the Editor:

On behalf of the more than 100 volunteers who took time out of their busy Labor Day weekends Saturday, I want to thank the hundreds of runners and sponsors who participated in the third annual Newtown Road Race at Dickinson Park. The event attracted nearly 600 runners for the 5K race, which was won in record time, and about 175 children for the Kids Run. It was our largest race to date, and it raised over $30,000 for Newtown Youth & Family Services.

Despite a light mist that threatened to keep the turnout down, most of our dedicated volunteers turned out before dawn Saturday to prepare food, pour water, hang signs, and set up the course. This effort cannot be taken lightly with such a large gathering of people, but every last detail was in place by the time the runners arrived.

It would be impossible to single out every business or person who contributed to the race, but we would like to recognize our generous sponsors: the Newtown Prevention Council; Dental Associates, which sponsored the Kids Run; Star 99.9; Poland Spring; Dr Joel S. Segalman; Danbury Porsche Audi Volkswagen; Porco’s Karate Academy; Newtown Savings Bank; New Balance; Stop & Shop; Danbury Hospital; Union Savings Bank; Vasi’s International Gymnastics; Mr Turtle School; Planters’ Choice LLC; Brautigam Land Surveyors; New Hope Community Church; Curtis Packaging Corporation; Connecticut Light & Power; Yankee Gas; Katie O’Day’s Irish Pub; Newtown Center Pediatrics; People’s United Bank; The Newtown UPS Store; Burgerittoville; Sugar Hill Service Center and Auto Body; Troy Security Systems; Associated Refuse Haulers; Colonial Chiropractic Centre; Sportsplex; Newtown Newcomers & Neighbors; Tambascio’s Italian Grill; Sweet Feet; Trinity Day School; TNT Expense Management; Dr Dawn Bogden; Trinity Episcopal Church; Kumon; SMT; Sippin Energy Products; Dr Bryson Filbert; Bob Tendler; and Irving Levine Automotive Distributors.

Thank you also to The Newtown Bee for its usual outstanding pre- and postrace coverage, and to John Voket, who kept the event moving and crowd hopping Saturday morning as master of ceremonies.

We think the Newtown Road Race has become a great kickoff to the Labor Day weekend in Newtown, and we look forward to bringing even more people to the park next year to enjoy the morning and raise money for a great cause.

Sincerely,

Steve Meeker

Race Director

Newtown Road Race

14 Cemetery Road, Newtown                                 September 2, 2008