More than 300 Participate in Health Department’s RUN 4 YOUR LIFE

More than 300 Participate in Health Department’s RUN 4 YOUR LIFE

Family and Friends Gather to Celebrate Fitness Can Be Fun

BREWSTER, NY—More than 300 runners and walkers came out for the Second Annual RUN 4 YOUR life event, featuring a 5-kilometer run, a one-mile walk and a half-mile kids’ fun run. Organized by the Putnam County Department of Health, the event lived up to its design as a fun, family event.

Seventeen-year-old Zach Nordstorm from Patterson took first place in the men’s division with a time of 19:20, as his parents cheered him on. In the women’s division for the second straight year, Lori-Beth Patsey from Fishkill, and a member of the Open Door Medical Center Team topped the women’s field and placed sixth overall. Her clocking of 22:43 chopped more than two minutes off her finishing time last year.

For the McMaths, the Kozmas clan, and Team Andrew and many others, it was a family celebration day as well. Seventeen-year-old Tyler McMath, and his 15-year-old brother Dorian from Carmel finished second and fifth among the men respectively, while mom Jessica finishing fifth in her age category. Twelve-year-old Sandor Kozma finish in in eighth place overall, followed by his 13-year-old sister Jessica in ninth place. Both Carmel youngsters finished first in their age groups. In 12^th place overall was the elder Sandor Kozma garnering second place in his age category.

But the most touching story of the day centered on Team Andrew. Eleven family members registered for the event and with them came countless other friends and family. Recreational runner Andrew Olang travelled the 5 kilometer course in a wheelchair after a fall from a ladder left him paralyzed.

“Involving friends and family in your exercise routines is the main idea behind this event,” says Allen Beals, MD, Commissioner of Health for Putnam County. “Most everyone knows that exercise is a key component to good health. The challenge is to find the time. By doing it with family and friends, it’s at once easier to schedule in a busy day, and the bonus is it’s much more enjoyable.”

From start to finish the race proved an extraordinary success. Corporate sponsorship and backing was strong, matched only by great support from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), which provided dozens of volunteers. While the officers saw that the course was properly patrolled and crowds controlled, MRC volunteers helped out with everything from registration and medic support, to communications and clean-up.

The Health Department’s mission is to improve and protect the health of the Putnam County community, composed of nearly 100,000 residents. Core services include community health assessment, disease surveillance and control, emergency preparedness, environmental health protection, family health promotion and health education. For more information, please visit the PCDOH website at www.putnamcountyny.com/health or visit the social media sites on Facebook at www.facebook.com/putnamhealth, www.facebook.com/RunWalkPutnam, www.instagram.com/PutnamHealthNY and Twitter @PutnamHealthNY.