The third annual Main Street Mile will take place on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2007 beginning at 4 p.m. on Main Street in Farmingdale. Families and recreational runners are encouraged to join some elite participants in the event that will benefit Pat LaFontaine's Companions in Courage Foundation.

"This is a great way for families to kick off the Labor Day weekend," LaFontaine said. "I am looking forward to seeing Long Island come together for such a great cause."

Proceeds from the race will go toward CiC's immediate goal - to raise funds to build interactive playrooms in children's hospitals throughout North America. Through innovative communications tools, these playrooms are meant to replace the isolation of a hospital with a connection to family, friends and celebrities during their hospital stay. This effort paves the way for their motto "no child in the fight for life or health should ever have to go it alone."

The rooms, dubbed the Lion's Den, have state of the art technology from Microsoft and Cisco Systems. Patients receive a "smart" card when they check into the hospital, identifying them as members of a special community with unique privileges. The key is an ID device that allows each child to personalize their experience within the Lion's Den room with activities such as web surfing, video game playing and videoconferencing.

The Main Street Mile will offer prizes to the top male and female athlete in various age groups and runners of all abilities will be welcomed. Post-race awards and a raffle will be conducted at Village Hall on Main Street in Farmingdale. As a special incentive, the first runner breaking 4 minutes in the mile (female 4:50) will receive a cash bonus. A Kid's Fun Run- a quarter-mile race - will also be held in conjunction with the event.

Registration is $15 per person (online registration closes on Aug. 27 at midnight), and $5 for the Kids Fun Run. Online registrations are being accepted at Active.com at http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1449079

The event is being sponsored by North Fork Bank and is being presented by The Runner's Edge, a Main Street, Farmingdale merchant. For more information on the Main Street Mile, contact Runners Edge at 516-420-7963 or MainStreetMile@aol.com.