Local Business Sponsors Wheelchair Race

The prestigious investment firm of Salomon Smith Barney, acting through its local office in Jericho, has signed on to be the title sponsor of the 1998 Salomon Smith Barney North American Wheelchair Championship 10 Kilometer Race. The race was held on Saturday, June 20, starting and finishing at Ellsworth Allen Town Park in Farmingdale.

Mark A. Siehen (second from right), the executive vice president and New York suburban regional director of Solomon Smith Barney, and Regional Administrator Lisa Bardenhagen (right) present the $10,000 sponsorship check to Race Director Nick Katsounis (left) and 13-year-old Jesse Walsh, one of the athletes who participated in the race.

"We are thrilled to be receiving the very generous support of Salomon Smith Barney for this important event," noted Wheelchair Championship Race Director Nick Katsounis. "Without their generosity it would simply be impossible for us to stage an event of this magnitude here on Long Island. Thanks to Salomon Smith Barney and our other sponsors and supporters, local wheelchair athletes were able to rub elbows with the best wheelchair athletes in North America on June 20. We're especially happy that some of the younger wheelchair athletes were on hand to try the 1/2 mile fun wheel and find out first hand what the best wheelchair racers can accomplish."

This year's event was once again staged by the Plainview-Old Bethpage Road Runners Club in conjunction with the Town of Oyster Bay and its Recreation Department.