Among the highlights of the July meeting of the Greater Long Island Running Club was a special presentation to 13-year-old Deanna McDermott, who recently participated in her first wheelchair race - the fun run that preceded the Salomon Smith Barney North American Wheelchair Championship Race in Farmingdale earlier this summer.

Deanna, who has spina bifida, received a competitor's ribbon, a competitor's shirt, and a gift of a large radio/cassette player to commemorate her entry into the ranks of wheelchair racers.

The presentation was made by Nick Katsounis, a resident of Massapequa who serves as the Running Club's director of Wheelchair Athletics and as the director of the Wheelchair Championship Race. "Deanna is a wonderful young lady and is developing into an excellent athlete," said Katsounis. "It is a privilege and a pleasure for me to present these gifts to her."