Mike Kelly, who organized the race to raise fund's for Parkinson's research, ran the 5K race.
By Nancy Peckenham
A road race along the Hudson River on Saturday raised $13,000 for Parksinson’s disease research and brought a family even closer together as they planned the details and called on friends to make their dream a success.
Mike Kelly, a Cornwall-on-Hudson contractor who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s five years ago, started running as part of an exercise regimen that helps slow the onset of the degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Last year he ran the New York City Marathon with his daughter, Jennie, and earlier this year he decided to organize a local race along Route 218 as it winds under Storm King Mountain. He called it River View Run.
Some of the volunteers who helped organized the race (from l. to r.): Maureen Wallace, Sue Boccard, Judy Garces, Ellen Kelly, Phil DeAngelo, Tina DeAngeloand Christine Olazagasti.
Kelly knew he could count on his wife, Ellen, who runs Smitchger Realty in Cornwall, and his children, Jenny, Mary and Michael, all in their ‘20s, to help organize the race. More friends from the Powelton Club in Newburgh wanted to contribute to the effort, people like Phil and Tina DeAngelo, whose mother has Parkinson’s as well. Some forty local businesses and individuals – many from Newburgh — chipped in goods and services for the day.
Jennie Kelly, who is studying to be a physician’s assistant in New York City, rounded up her running buddies in a group called the Dashing Whippets. Team Fox, a project of the Michael J. Foundation that sponsors teams around the country, helped fill a bus of people who came up for the race on Saturday in a bus donated by West Point Tours.
Celso Lojano won first place in the 5K race.
Runners from throughout the Hudson Valley also signed up for the race, some looking forward to a chance to compete on the challenging uphill course and others happy to walk the course and admire the beautiful view of the Hudson River.
Mary Kelly took charge of the spreadsheets as race day near, assigning volunteers to get water or apples for the runners or hold mile marker signs and cheer along the route. The Kellys hired an official timer and prepared awards to the top three runners overall and in each age group. Everybody got a t-shirt thanks to the Focus
Charlie Yarnold ran with a photo of his father, who has Parkinson's, pinned to his back.
On race day, local residents like the Plaut family and Beth Strader and her 12-year-old son came out to be part of the inaugural River View Run. Some came focused on their time and performance; others focused on being part of a fundraiser for a good cause.
When the final walker crossed the finish line, Mike Kelly said the race was better than he ever thought it could be. Despite the day’s success, Kelly says he is not going to rest. He is training to participate again in the New York City Marathon in just five weeks.
12-year-old Jack Santiago of Newburgh ran the 5K with his mother, Beth Strader.
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