With nearly 700 entrants and 606 finishers, and spurred on by the memory of those NYPD and Port Authority heroes who gave their lives on 9/11, this year's David Lerner Associates Long Island Police Appreciation Run was the biggest ever, and undoubtedly the most emotional as well. The 5 Kilometer Run was held at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow on Thursday evening June 13.

Dale Summerville of SUNY Stony Brook scored in first place among the runners with a 15:56 finish, Donna McMahon of Farmingdale led all the women in 18:18, and 17-year-old Jesse Walsh of Huntington took top honors in the Wheelchair Division in a scorching 13:09.

Sixteen-year-old Westbury speedster Lisa Mulvey and her 50-year-old mom Miriam Mulvey had a very successful evening, with the Westbury duo earning a couple of gold medals. Lisa took first place honors in the 15 to 19 age group, crossing the finish line in 20:09, and Miriam scored first in the 50-54 age group with a time of 23:13.

The run raised a considerable amount of money for the Police Crisis Fund which provides financial assistance to local police officers and their families in times of personal emergency. Many of the families of those police officers sacrificed on 9/11 were on hand for the event, and they were honored at the starting line with the very able help of bagpipers Bonnie Yancoskie and Ray Willis of Siol na heireann playing Amazing Grace, and once again at the awards ceremony.

For more information, call the Greater Long Island Running Club at 349-7646.