Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities from Hicksville are invited to participate in a special race to say Úquot;thank youÚquot; to the outstanding law enforcement officers of Nassau and Suffolk counties.

The 10th annual David Lerner Associates Long Island Police Appreciation Run will be held on Thursday evening, June 7, at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, with the starting gun going off promptly at 7 p.m. The run will be sponsored by David Lerner Associates (Úquot;The Asset BuildersÚquot;), and the entire net proceeds will once again be turned over to the Police Crisis Fund that has been established to aid law enforcement officers and their families in time of emergency.

The entry fee for the run is $17 for those who enter in advance, and $20 for those who enter on the day of the run. All entrants will receive special 10th anniversary commemorative baseball caps. Awards will be presented to the top three male runners and the top three female runners in each of the 14 (five year) age groups, ranging from 14 and under to 75 and over, as well as to the top wheelchair racers. Special awards will also be presented in the Úquot;Law EnforcementÚquot; division to the top three open male, open female, masters (age 40 and over) male and masters female law enforcement officers to cross the finish line.

The run is being conducted by the Greater Long Island Running Club, with Ira Eskow of the club serving as the director once again. Technical support will be provided by Finish Line Road Race Technicians.

Something new and special has been added to this year's run. Thanks to the generosity of David Lerner Associates, and in honor of that firm's 25th anniversary, several lucky finishers on June 7 will take home some outstanding gifts at a super electronics raffle. The lucky winners will be selected at random from the list of those who finish the run. (Note: one must be at the awards ceremony and the drawing to win!)

Runners from the Hicksville community were especially prominent in the 2000 edition of the Police Appreciation Run, led by Colleen Kenney, who was the third woman overall across the finish line and second in the 25-29 age group, and Nassau Police Running Club Vice President Brian Dunker.

Race organizers are hoping for another big turnout of local runners to show their appreciation for the police - and to provide much needed funding for the Police Crisis Fund. Úquot;Runners have a special reason for saying thank you to our law enforcement officers,Úquot; observed race director Ira Eskow. Úquot;Without the enthusiastic support of county and local police departments, road racing as we know it in Nassau and Suffolk counties could simply not exist! But whether you are a runner or not, everyone owes a tremendous debt to the outstanding men and women who make up Long Island's police forces. They truly are 'Long Island's Finest,' and I join with the generous folks at David Lerner Associates in looking for a big outpouring of people from all over the New York Metropolitan area on June 7 to show them just how much they are appreciated.Úquot;

For entry forms or more information about the Police Appreciation Run, contact the Greater Long Island Running Club at 349-7646, or visit the club's website at www.glirc.org.

David Lerner (l.), the CEO of David Lerner Associates and Race Director Ira Eskow (r.) join hands to support the 10th annual David Lerner Associates Police Appreciation Run.