2010 Laurel Run Winning Logo!

Jennifer Phillips of Silver Creek High School was the winner of the competition to design the logo for the 2010 Laurel Run.

This year for the first time, the general public was given the chance to cast votes for the winning design.  After internal voting by employees of TRC Foundation and The Resource Center, the top five vote-getters and the top design from each participating school were displayed on the Observer’s web site.  Readers then were able to vote online for their favorite designs.

A total of 920 votes were cast online.  In the end, Ms. Phillips’ entry edged out the design submitted by Karen Schroeder of Cassadaga Valley High School, 193 votes to 192.

The design competition was open to high school students in Chautauqua County.  A total of 79 designs were submitted by students from six schools: Cassadaga Valley, Frewsburg, Jamestown, Sherman, Silver Creek and the Hewes BOCES Center.

For winning the competition, Ms. Phillips will receive a $100 gift card to a store of her choice.

The 14th annual Laurel Run begins Friday, July 16, with the traditional Jamestown-to-Dunkirk relay run, which features representatives from area schools running the different legs of the relay.   The event begins at about 8:30 at The Resource Center’s facility at 75 Jones & Gifford Avenue in Jamestown and ends at Dunkirk City Hall, where Mayor Richard Frey hosts a victory celebration from noon to 2:00.

The following morning in Silver Creek, there will be an 8-kilometer run, a 5k fitness walk, a 1k fun walk, children’s runs and Laurel’s Lap, in which anyone with a disability is invited to talk a lap around the track at the ballfield downtown.  In the afternoon, there will be a motorcycle dice run.

Laurel Run was created by Wayne and Elaine Hotelling in honor of their oldest daughter, who has Down syndrome.  The event is designed to celebrate the achievements of people with disabilities.  Money raised through Laurel Run goes to TRC Foundation to support disability awareness and prevention efforts in Chautauqua County.  Laurel Run proceeds also are used to provide employment and work training opportunities for adults with disabilities at The Resource Center.

For more information, phone 934-3952 or 661-4735, or e-mail steve.waterson@resourcecenter.org. To sign up to participate in the Laurel Run click here.

We extend our thanks to the Observer for having the voting contest appear on its web site – it was a great experience!