Vytra Health Plans and the Greater Long Island Running Club are combining their resources on Saturday morning, April 27, to stage the Vytra Human Race 5 Kilometer Run, with the entire net proceeds of the run to be turned over to The Center for Developmental Disabilities, whose Children's Campus is located on South Woods Road in Woodbury.

The run will be held at Heckscher State Park in East Islip, over the flattest, fastest 5 Kilometer course on Long Island. The starting gun for the 5 Kilometer main event will go off at exactly 9:00. The 5K will be preceded by a 1/2 mile Fun Run for the kids starting at 8:30 a.m.

The Vytra Human Race 5 Kilometer Run is one of a full roster of community outreach programs fostered by Vytra Health Plans to improve the quality of life on Long Island by promoting physical fitness and good health. Other such programs include the Vytra Cup Annual High School Hockey Tournament, the Vytra Volleyball Tournament at Jones Beach, the Vytra Long Island Women's Run, the Vytra-TOBAY Triathlon, and SPF 2002: Sun Protection for 2002. Vytra is also a major supporter of the Long Island Ducks minor league baseball team.

The Center for Developmental Disabilities, which will reap the benefits of the Vytra Human Race 5K Run, is a private, nonprofit agency which provides a wide range of educational, residential and community-based services for individuals with autism and/or pervasive developmental and communication disabilities. The center is committed to its mission of helping children, adolescents and adults with differing abilities achieve their dreams by overcoming barriers to living, learning, working and enjoying recreational opportunities in the community of their choice.

Also signing on as a sponsor of the run is the Albertson-based Benefits Advisory firm of Chernoff Diamond & Co. LLC.

The Vytra Human Race 5 Kilometer Run is very much a win-win event for everyone. Runners will have every chance in the world to achieve a personal best on the fastest 5 Kilometer course on Long Island, with no hills and only one turn over the 3.1-mile course. Thanks to the generosity of Vytra Health Plans, the event will provide some very much needed funds for the center's day programs, residence programs and "Building Bridges" Program. Everybody will be a winner on April 27.

Entry fees for the 5 Kilometer Run are $17, with a $1 discount for all preregistered members of the Greater Long Island Running Club. The 5K entry fee will be $20 for those who wait till the day of the run to enter. The fee for the Fun Run is $7 for those who preregister and $8 for those who register on the day of the run. Every entrant will be presented with a spectacular top quality T-shirt as a memento of the morning, and there will be some great post-run refreshments for everyone. Walkers and wheelchair athletes are most cordially invited to be part of the fun.

Awards will be presented to the first male and female overall to cross the finish line, to the top three male and female wheelchair finishers, to the top three male and female finishers in each of 15 five year age groups running from 12 and under to 75 and over, and to the top three male and female finishers in each of two "Clydesdale" weight divisions.

Overall race management will be provided by the Greater Long Island Running Club. Technical direction, timing and results will be provided by David Katz of Finish Line Road Race Technicians, utilizing the "Champion Chip" system.

To obtain a race application, or for more information about the Vytra Human Race 5 Kilometer Run, call the Greater Long Island Running Club at 349-7646, or visit the club's website at www.glirc.org. Online registration is available at www.runevent.com.