Charleroi Federal Little Great Race 2017 Draws Crowds for 31st Year in a Row

Last Updated on Friday, 29 September 2017 17:52

By Jill Runfola

The 31st annual Charleroi Federal Little Great Race was a 5K race held at Charleroi Trustees Park on Saturday, September 9, 2017 at 8:15 a.m., and yet it was so much more than just a race.

Little Great Race committee members are (l-r): Cindy Mancinelli, Sue Hornack, and Marsha Vitale, the race director’s wife.

On this brisk, exciting morning, runners and walkers gave it their all, taking to the streets of downtown Charleroi the moment Race Director Vic Vitale yelled, “Ready, Set, Go!”

Before the competition, there was music, free donuts and coffee. River House Café donated pizza following the event. There was a great turnout for the event, with 465 people participating in the race this year.

Each participant received a long-sleeved shirt and a bag of gifts from vendors. First, second, and third place winners received Sheetz gift cards, while top winners were awarded at a special ceremony at the end with certificates. The fastest male runner was August Sander, with a finishing time of 16:49, and the fastest female runner was Erika Suhy, with a finishing time of 18:47. Other winners included Don Slusser (male walker winner), Kelley Murdock (female walker winner), and Dan Harvison (overall heavyweight winner).

This year’s Adam Boyd Award went to Joshua Williams, a good student at Cal U with unique interests, as was Boyd himself - studious with a demonstrated passion for learning. Boyd was diagnosed with cancer, but embraced life before he died.

Profits from the event go towards Brenley Farner, a little girl in Charleroi suffering from cancer who was present at the presentation ceremony; the Adam Boyd Memorial winner; and the Mon Valley YMCA. This year’s race is dedicated in memory of Mary Ann Ghilani (1954-2012). There were several sponsors, with Charleroi Federal Savings being the main one.

Vitale, owner of State Farm Insurance and Director of the Race, concluded, “The weather was beautiful, the people were beautiful. Thank you to everyone!” He then confirmed that there will be a 32nd Annual Charleroi Federal Little Great Race.

To check out results of all participants online, go to littlegreatrace.com/index.htm.