And the race is on
The Charleroi Federal Little Great Race is celebrating its 31st year, and as such, is the longest-running 5K race in the area.
“We’ve helped create other races,” said race chairman Vic Vitale, owner of Vic Vitale State Farm Insurance. Although some of those races are now defunct, including those in Belle Vernon and Monessen, the Little Great Race in Charleroi is still going strong.
“We’re hoping for over 500 participants,” Vitale said.
This year’s race will begin at 8:15 a.m. Sept. 9 at SPHS, 1 Chamber Plaza, and will proceed across the railroad tracks to McKean Avenue and the Mon Valley Transit Authority, with the return trip along Fallowfield Avenue to Charleroi Federal Savings Bank to SPHS. Streets along the race route will be closed from 8 to 9 a.m.
The first Little Great Race was run on Sept. 24, 1987. It was created as a prelude to the Pittsburgh Great Race, and was run on the Wednesday before the Pittsburgh race.
When Vitale took over as chairman of the Charleroi race in 1992, he moved it to Saturday, and began raising money for scholarships and families in need throughout the Valley.
“I was a younger man when I started,” Vitale laughed.
During Vitale’s 25-year reign as chairman, organizers have presented $20,000 in scholarships and more than $72,000 to people who are dealing with illnesses and tragedy.
“We started to give to Toys for Tots, and it grew from there,” Vitale said.
This year, there are three recipients. They are:
• Joshua Williams, a 2017 Charleroi Area High School graduate. He will receive the $1,000 Adam Boyd Scholarship, which was established in honor of Adam Joseph Boyd, who died at age 15, four years after he was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma. Adam had a passion for learning and anything medieval. Williams plans to major in computer science at California University of Pennsylvania.
• Brenley Farner, a 3-year-old Monongahela girl who is battling an extremely rare, aggressive cancer called malignant rhabdoid tumor. The race committee already has presented her family with $1,000, and hopes to add another $1,000 after the race.
• Mon Valley YMCA, which will receive the remaining money to fund programs for youth, teens and seniors. Vitale hopes to present the YMCA with between $3,000 and $5,000.
CSF Bank is the race’s major sponsor, and several other businesses are donating food and drinks the day of the race. They include Saltino’s River House Café, which will provide pizza; Keystone Bakery, cookies and doughnuts; Culligan Water, water; Subway, 6-foot-long sandwich; and race organizers, bananas and Gatorade.
“There are a lot of good people in this town, a lot of good businesspeople,” Vitale said.
Cost to enter the race is $20 in advance and $25 the day of the event. The first 600 runners and walkers who register will receive a T-shirt and bag. Registration is accepted online at www.littlegreatrace.com.
Those who are unable to register online are asked to call Vitale at 724-489-4435 to request a paper application. Deadline to register in advance is Sept. 7.
Awards will be presented to winners in each age group.