The 22nd Mineola Mustang Run/Walk once again drew a large number of participants who came out to support many of the village's worthy organizations and, in the process, celebrated the village's 100th anniversary. Participants, volunteers and sponsors all picked up a commemorative Mustang Run, Mineola Centennial long-sleeved shirt.

The spirit of Mineola was alive and well as hundreds of volunteers came out to ensure the safety of all runners and walkers, which totaled about 1,000. The proceeds from the event will help such organizations as the Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Mineola Athletic Association, Mineola Police Athletic League, Mineola Auxiliary Police, Mineola Fire Department, Mineola Historical Society, Mineola Youth and Family Services, Cancer Center for Kids at Winthrop-University Hospital and Parent and Child Education (PACE). An estimated $30,000 was raised after paying for all expenses including shirts, mailings, printing, journals, advertising, insurance and for hiring the company to keep the times of the runners and walkers.

The top Mineola 5K male runners included Michael Kiley, Maurico Durate and Greg Michelena. The top Mineola 5K female runners included Kathleen Maher, Erin Gaughran and Margaret Schwarz. The overall 5K male champ was Marco Monjardin with a time of 16.11 and the top female runner Noni Accetturi with a time of 19:09. The outstanding 5K Mineola walkers included Stewart Banilla, Jude Ohrtman, Kenneth Cotroneo, Dale Oswald and Kristina Cotroneo.

Of great interest were three runner over the age of 80 - George Dennis (83), Bill Benson (87) and John McManus (83), who participated in the 5K.

Outstanding finishers in the mile included Jack O'Sullivan, Kaitlyn Assalone, Michela Franz, Chloe Connelly, Patrick Murphy, Katie Stagnari, Alexis Geiger and Alexander Carrera.

Special thanks are extended to the following organizations for their major donations to make the race a classic event: Winthrop-University Hospital, Western Beef, Entenmann's Bakery, Bagel Express, Long Island Checker Cab, Hempstead Lincoln Mercury, Mineola Chamber of Commerce, President Steve Ford (Willis Hobbies) and the Mineola Chamber of Commerce, Mineola McDonald's, Mineola Dunkin' Donuts, Jericho Bagels, Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman, Town Councilman Angelo Ferrara and the North Hempstead Town Board.

Numerous organizations and people helped to make this event a major success. The Mineola Village Board and employees of the Village of Mineola including Superintendent of Public Works Tom Rini, fire chief Jack Gayson and the Mineola Fire Department, Gary Mazur and the Mineola Junior Fire Department, Mineola Volunteer Ambulance Corps, the business community of Mineola, the Mineola Chamber of Commerce, Mineola School Superintendent Dr. Larry Licopoli and the Mineola School Board, Suzanne Skaflestad and Mineola Youth and Family Services, County Seat Kiwanis, Mineola Knights of Columbus, Chief Mike Spae and the Mineola Auxiliary Police, the Mineola Athletic Association, Mineola Historical Society, Mineola Police Athletic League, PACE, Mineola Teachers Association, Merrill Fitzpatrick and Mineola High School Key Club, members of the Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES), Inspector Turk and the Nassau County Police Department, Mineola Boy Scouts and Mineola Girl Scouts.

Trustee Linda Fairgrieve expressed special gratitude to the entire Mineola business community for financial support of the event and urged all residents to remember their local businesses whenever purchases need to be made. She also expressed great appreciation for all the hard work of the Mineola Mustang Run/Walk Board.

Sponsors for the event had their names listed in 6,000 journals, which were distributed in the entire community and to the participants of the event. Also, 2,100 long-sleeved shirts were distributed to runners, walkers, volunteers and sponsors, with each shirt listing the names of the sponsors.

The 23rd Mineola Mustang Run/Walk will be held in November 2007. Anyone wishing to help or be a sponsor should contact Linda Fairgrieve at 294-5914.