With the memories of the seemingly never-ending winter now fading, and with spring in the air, The 4th Annual Cancer Center for Kids "5k Family Fun/Walk Run" is just around the corner. As usual, the event will be held in the heart of Great Neck at Jon's Park (on Grace Avenue), Sunday morning, May 1.

This year's activities, food and entertainment will be unprecedented. The legendary "DMC" will be attending the event for the teenage sector and there will be a plethora of activities for the younger set, including face-painting, tattoos, balloon making, bead-art, a Tiger Schulmann interactive demo, plus clowns, jugglers and strolling characters. For children and adults of all ages, they'll be a stage with performers every 15 minutes, hip-hip dancers, an Elvis Impersonator, Doo-Wop Music and more! Yoga, massage, and chiropractic adjustments will be available before and after our Walk/Run. And where else but in Great Neck can you begin the day with a delicious cup of Starbucks coffee accompanied with a muffin and finish up the morning with a Morton's steak sandwich!

The raffle baskets, which were a huge hit last year (people stayed in the rain until the very last basket was raffled off!) will be bigger and better than ever. All of the prizes and gifts are donated by merchants from Great Neck and surrounding areas. A Trek Mountain bike, a Yankee "Fan-tastic Basket," with two skybox tickets to a game of your choice along with other memorabilia - and finally, a basket "For Men Only" which includes renting an exotic car for a day, personal training sessions, baseball tickets and much, much more are just a few of our awesome baskets waiting just for you!

What is truly going to set this year's event apart from past years is that the event is being hosted in honor of Genelle Taney and her family. Genelle, a Great Neck teenager who recently passed away from cancer, embraced and lived her life to its fullest. Genelle was loved and admired by everyone who knew her. Genelle was treated at the Cancer Center for Kids and attended and supported many of their events, always happy to give of herself, always inspiring everyone who crossed her path. The entire community will be coming together to support the family, as well as the Cancer Center.

Registration will begin at 8:15 a.m. with the Walk/Run kicking off at 9:30 a.m. Starting at 11 a.m., there will be a free shuttle bus available to take all the participants directly to the Great Neck Village Crafts Fair, one of the largest craft fairs on Long Island. For your convenience, leave your can behind and let the big yellow bus do the rest! Look for posters and brochures throughout town so you can pre-register and get a free t-shirt! If you have any questions, or you'd like to make a donation in Genelle Taney's honor or to the Cancer Center at Winthrop University Hospital generally, please call 663-9409 or 663-9549. See you there ... rain or shine!