An Army of Love Turns Out for Charity Run
An army of volunteers and throng of participants at the inaugural Jana Piccola Walk 4Love surpassed the most optimistic expectations of the event’s organizers.
“It was a huge success,” said Rosanna Russo, one of the volunteers that helped organize last Saturday morning’s event. “It was a beautiful day with not one cloud in the sky and perfect weather conditions for runners.” The Huntington School District community supported the event to a remarkable extent.
Participants included hundreds of Huntington alumni, current members of the School Board and their families, teachers, parents and students of all ages. Huntington grad John Lee returned home from the U.S. Naval Academy where he is a student, and brought along a fellow Midshipman. Others returned from all points north, south, east and west.
So many people showed up that organizers ran out of timing chips for the runners. One estimate pegged the number at 800. Ms. Russo said the proceeds from the race day amounted to over $25,000, including registration fees, donations, raffles and a silent auction.
By now Ms. Piccola’s story is well known throughout the community. As a 16-year Huntington High School junior she was diagnosed with serious cancer that required long and intensive, but ultimately successful treatment. She graduated on-time with the Class of 2004 and headed off to Quinnipiac University. Four years later as a college senior she found herself terribly ill again. Diagnosed with leukemia, probably a product of her earlier treatment, she lost a brave battle with the disease last fall. She was 21.
During the ensuing months, Ms. Piccola’s friends and former classmates came together to plan the Walk 4Love, earmarking all proceeds for pediatric cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. The cause was one that Ms. Piccola herself was devoted to and her boyfriend, Sean Pawelec, a 2003 Huntington graduate, has vowed to pursue in her memory.
The race course included a long stretch along scenic Huntington Harbor. The turn-out was stunning in its size and the volunteers displayed a genuine fervor for their cause. Ms. Piccola was known for her sense of loyalty and her friends are continuing to return that same loyalty in full measure.
“The New York Islanders and Dave and Buster's brought games and activities for those attending and donated all proceeds to the cause,” Ms. Russo said. “The day ran smoothly and efficiently for our first 5k event. We couldn't have done it without all of our sponsors and volunteers. We look forward to next year, hopefully doubling participants and donations.”
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