Long Grove Rotary Race/Walk Benefits Local Charities, Brings Surprises and Fun

Nine local charities set up tables and distributed identification bibs early last Saturday morning in preparation for the 16th Annual Long Grove Heritage Run/Walk. There were several surprise outcomes to follow.

The weather forecast was promising, but just as the race began there was a downpour for about 5 minutes. The runners were undaunted and enjoyed the cooling effect, and the walkers persisted on the course and soon dried out in what remained a pleasant, sunny day and fun for all in attendance.

The male and female winners in the Run were notable. Tying for first for women with the automatically recorded time of 21:32 were Kendall and Tracey Roberts of Barrington, daughter and mother. A photo taken in the stretch shows Kendall, who competed and also won the Under 14 Women's division, in the lead, just ahead of her mother, who apparently pulled even just at the end. They were only 13 seconds ahead of Heather Nadeau, who was last year's winner.

Winner by only 7 seconds in the men's division was Mathew Abitbol, Chicago, who grew up in Long Grove and attended Stevenson High School. His time was 18:41. This was Mathew's 136h race in 5 years of running and the first in which he finished first overall. He has competed in 32 marathons, including 4 in Boston.

Mathew was running for the Michael P. Savoca Memorial Foundation, which supports education and research into pulmonary fibrosis.There were 1,020 participants this year, with the split between runners and walkers close to even for the first time. Many more were in attendance to cheer, to help, and to enjoy a sausage and pancake breakfast.

While final accounting is not finished, it is anticipated that the 9 diverse charities and the Rotary Club jointly gathered over $100,000 for the charitable projects they sponsor.

This year the charities working with Rotary on the event included first timer Skin of Steel, advocating for melanoma patients, as well as OMNI Youth Services, which serves youth in need and their families in the Northwest suburbs, participating since the initial Heritage Run/Walk. The Center On Deafness provides services to their implied constituency, while Exodus World Service supports volunteer support services to refugee families arriving in the metropolitan area.They are also long time partners in this event.

Faith Acres Foundation is a food and clothing sharing pantry operation serving primarily McHenry and Lake County people in need, while the Mothers' Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes works to provide properly preserved human milk, primarily to premature and ill infants.

Other participating charities in the family oriented event are motivated by their desire to further a cause which arose from personal experiences. The Christopher Steele Foundation, another perennial partner charity, supports research about brain tumors, while the Michael P. Savoca Memorial Foundation seeks to provide awareness and find a cure for pulmonary fibrosis after a family member succumbed to the disease. With a similar basis for its motivation, Andrew James Brust Foundation provides a scholarship for technical training in honor of its namesake, who died in a motorcycle accident.

Noting the diverse nature of these charities, Ryan Birch, Barrington, who coordinated this year's event observed, "This was a festive and fun event this year, likely our largest ever. It's fun to help these charities and promote our own charitable efforts, too. We work much of the year to get ready, and the results make us happy for the rest of the year."

The Rotary Club of Long Grove is a group of professionals who live or work in Long Grove, Kildeer, and the surrounding area.

Rotary International is the oldest civic service club, founded in Chicago in 1905 and with over 1.2 million members worldwide. The local club has sponsored and supported a number of local and international projects since its establishment almost 20 years ago. Notable projects in the past year have included contribution of ShelterBox tents to Haiti and Japan, contribution of 200 coats and knit caps to needy children in the area, support of water and education projects in Africa, and cleanup of Route 53 in Long Grove. The Club is also supporting the Rotary International goal of eliminating polio.

More information about this year's Heritage Event, including photos, and more about the Rotary Club of Long Grove, Kildeer, and Hawthorn Woods may be found at RotaryRace.org and at RCLG.org. Photos are also posted at the Club's Facebook page.