Over the last two weeks, two world class events have been held on the roads of Farmingdale. On Sunday, June 30, the 11th annual Nick Katsounis Memorial Wheelchair Championship 10 Kilometer Race, starting and finishing at Ellsworth Allen Town Park, attracted every top wheelchair racer from all over the world - from Europe, Africa, and Australia as well as from locales all over the United States - to compete here. On Saturday, July 13, Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, two time Boston Marathon winner and women's world record holder in the marathon led a stellar field of international, national and local Long Island women in the 19th annual Vytra Long Island Women's 5 Kilometer Run starting on Woodward Parkway and finishing on the track at Farmingdale High School.

On behalf of all the participants in these two important events, I would like to offer a special "thank you" to the residents of Farmingdale for their enthusiastic cooperation. Everywhere the athletes went, before the races, after the races, and on the roads of Farmingdale during the race, they saw smiling faces, heard words of encouragement, and accepted the friendly welcome of a genuinely friendly community.

Special thanks go to Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto and the great people in the town of Oyster Bay Department of Recreation and Parks for their support. The staff at Allen Park, and most definitely and especially Farmingdale's Diane Blanchard of the town's recreation staff were magnificent at the Wheelchair Race.

Special thanks also go to the custodial and security staffs at Farmingdale High School for their enthusiastic assistance at the Vytra Women's Run. Their helpful and friendly attitude - way above and beyond the call of duty - made things go especially smoothly and minimized the logistical problems that came with putting on the race. Thanks, guys - you were great and a real credit to the community school district that you work for!

Farmingdale is a great community, full of great people, and we most definitely appreciated your patience and your cooperation during these two events.

Mike Polansky, President

Greater Long Island Running Club