The Greater Long Island Running Club recently issued a very hearty "thank you" to the South Farmingdale Volunteer Fire Department for their support over the years for the Salomon Smith Barney Wheelchair Championship 10 Kilometer Run. Every year, without fail, an Emergency Medical Team from the Fire Department has been at Ellsworth Allen Town park finish line as a precaution against health emergencies.

The South Farmingdale Fire Department folks have committed themselves to having an EMT at Allen Park once again on this June 25 for the 2000 edition of the Wheelchair Race, and have also committed themselves to be at the finish line of the Vytra Long Island Women's Run at the Woodward Parkway Elementary School on July 8.

Running Club President Mike Polansky and Wheelchair Race Director Nick Katsounis stopped by the firehouse on Feb. 24 to make a small cash donation to the fire department as the club's way of saying "thank you" (even though Chief Mormino kept telling Nick and Mike that it really wasn't necessary), and presented the department with a couple of mementos in commemoration of the department's support.

"We are all volunteers in putting club races together," noted Katsounis, "so we are especially appreciative of the outstanding people who volunteer their time as firefighters. We offer our very sincere thanks to Chief Mormino, Chief Kunkel, Chief Schlinghoff, and all the other members of the South Farmingdale Fire Department for their help."

Katsounis, who has directed the Wheelchair Race for the past six years, is a resident of Massapequa.