 |
 |
| Going the Distance for the Garden |
|
| By Jeff Werner, Yardley News |
|
On Sunday morning, more than 300 people will hit the streets of Lower Makefield Township to raise funds for the Garden of Reflection, Pennsylvania’s official 9-11 memorial.
The 5K Race and Family Walk, one kilometer for every year since 9-11, steps off at 9 a.m. from the site of the $1.2-million memorial, now under construction on Woodside Road.
Moved by the events of 9-11, Lower Makefield resident Greg Tarallo organized the first race two years ago to give people a way to respond to the events of 9-11 and to help the healing process begin.
“Because we were so hard hit, I wanted to bring the community together and give them a way to be part of the healing process, “ said Tarallo, the president of netStride.com, a web company located in the Silver Lake Executive Center in Newtown Township.
Tarallo and event co-coordinator Cheryl Chase, a project manager at netstride, expect the race to take on even more significance this year with the fifth anniversary on Monday.
“With the race on September 10th, the anniversary will be going through a lot of people’s mind that day,” predicts Tarallo. “I know there’s going to be a lot of people out there, like myself, who feel they need to do something close to that weekend or on that day. This gives them something to take part in that will make them feel good about that day.”
Since the inaugural race two years ago, Chase said participation has steadily increased, beginning with 169 in 2004 and growing to 225 last year. This year, she is hoping to exceed 300 participants.
“The community hasn’t forgotten,” said Tarallo. “They’re still out supporting and running. And they’re not just running a race,” he said, “they’re glad for an opportunity to contribute to this garden, which is not just a park or a memorial, but something that is going to help this community heal.”
The memorial, with its twin healing fountains and Remembrance Walk, will pay tribute to the close to 3,000 souls, including the 17 from Bucks County, who lost their lives in the September 11th attacks in New York City, Washington D.C., and in Western Pennsylvania.
“When you look around the country it’s unique in that there’s really nothing that’s such a grassroots effort by the community,” said Tarallo of the memorial. “It’s going to be an awesome thing to see it completed.”
In its two short years, the race has raised $18,000 toward the memorial project, according to Chase.
The course itself takes runners and walkers down Woodside Road and through the streets of the Brookfield development in the northwest corner of the township, where residents can often also be seen cheering them on as they pass through.
“Walkers can take a leisurely 45-minute stroll through the neighborhoods. In the pas, we’ve had entire families come out, including moms with their strollers,” said Tarallo. “For the experienced veteran runner, it’s really a great course to run. It’s mostly flat and it curves around.
“It’s a win-win for everyone involved,” said Tarallo. “It’s a great course to enjoy and at the same time it’s helping to build this memorial.”
The event is sponsored by netstride.com, a web company based in Newtown, and CentricSource, a Yardley-based logo and web design firm owned by Joe Witte, an Iraq War veteran from Upper Makefield.
The race is also supported by Phoenix Rehabilitation, the Newtown Athletic Club, Panera Bread, Carlucci’s Grill and SuperFresh. |
| Photo Credits: Chris Yasinsac ~ Tommy Roche ~ Ellen Saracini ~ Jeff Goldberg ~ Brielle Saracini ~ Michael David ~ Liuba Lashchyk ~ Grace Godshalk ~ Joseph Walker ~ Don George ~ Wendy Brusca ~ Frank Pronesti, Heirloom Studio ~ Courier Times: Jay Crawford, David Planchet, Joe Dixon |
|
|
|
|
