SITRAC
Holds Fundraiser
May 7, 2010 – SITRAC held it's 3rd. annual fundraiser "One City in Track" Thurs. May 6th at Moore H.S. in Graniteville, Staten Island.
The mostly social evening also featured the honoring of three local legends and one city-wide organization.
Pete Whitehouse of SITRAC was the master of ceremonies and introduced Bill Welsh, the dean of SI coaches. Welsh gave the large crowd the background on Jim O'Neill, the first honoree. O'Neill, 72 years old, has been involved in Track & Field for almost 60 years. He spoke about the support of his wife Kay and the thrill of coaching 1984 Olympian Winnie Ng.
Whitehouse then introduced St. Joseph by the Sea coach Joanne Kopycinski who spoke about honoree Jesse Carlin and the day she became a two time All-American at the University of Pennsylvania.
Carlin, spoke about that day and what it meant to her to be part of a all senior relay and also become All-American in an individual event. "I am still running and will try to make the next Olympic trials and the Olympic team".
Whitehouse then introduced his teammate from St. Peter's Peter Murray. On a fall day in 1959 Murray captured the SI Cross Country Championship. Running a cagey race Murray took the race out and barely hung on. The championship is something that has been with Murray for the last 50 years. He thanked his coaches and teammates for what they had done for him.
Ed Gorman of SITRAC then spoke about the Randall's Island Sports Foundation and how a grass roots organization could combine efforts with the City of NY to build the best track complex in North America.
Lou Vasquez, representing the RISF urged the people in attendance "keep pushing, don't give up and it will happen".
Bob Orazem, another board member tied everything up by speaking about where SITRAC was and where it was going. "The Track & Field community has had so little for so long that now we want it all".
The best Indoor Track & Field facility in the USA coming to Staten Island? We can hardly wait!
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Jim Grogan of SITRAC with honoree
Jesse Carlin |
Lou Vasquez of the Randalls Island Sports
Foundation shows off his plaque |
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Honoree Jim O'Neill addresses the audience |
Peter Murray talks about his SI X-C
victory 50 years ago |
