Connecticut church hosts 5K race to benefit Chornobyl relief (10/26/97)

Connecticut church hosts 5K race to benefit Chornobyl relief

DANBURY, Conn. - The Holy Trinity Orthodox Church here hosted its first annual 5-kilometer road race to benefit the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund (CCRF) on September 20. The race, which started and finished at the campus of Western Connecticut State University, drew runners as young as 12 and as old as 72 from across southern and western Connecticut.

A total of 115 runners finished the course, with first prizes awarded in several age categories for men and women. The overall winner was Decio Tenreiro, who covered the 3.1 mile distance in 15 minutes, 54 seconds.

The race organizers included Holy Trinity's pastor, the Rev. Luke Mihaly, a track coach at Immaculate High School, and his wife, Bethany, who coaches gymnastics at New Milford High School. "The church was looking for a charity to adopt, and we felt this would be a good one," said Mrs. Mihaly. "Although Chornobyl happened quite a while ago, the effects are still being felt."

CCRF staffers Inya Bonacorsa and Alex Kuzma also competed in the race and expressed their appreciation for the many runners and organizers who participated. Prior to the awards ceremony, Mr. Kuzma thanked parishioners Bob Hubiak, Peter Grimm and Jim Zeleniak, who conceived the idea of the race, and the many other parishioners who contributed to its success.

Proceeds from the event will be going towards CCRF's new campaign to modernize neonatal intensive care units in the cities of Lutsk and Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine.

Recent reports from the Ukrainian Ministry of Health indicate that the infant mortality rate and birth complications have risen sharply in the affected region. Thyroid cancer among children living in areas contaminated by radioactive fallout has risen 80-fold since the 1996 disaster.

The Holy Trinity Orthodox Church is planning more fund-raisers as part of its campaign to raise public awareness about the ongoing effects of Chornobyl and to bring direct relief to the victims. An art auction was scheduled in nearby Ridgefield, Conn., for September 24, and a benefit concert is planned for the early part of 1998.

The race was designed as an outing for the entire family. Prior to the adult competition, a group of youngsters ran in a 1-kilometer "Kids' Fun Run" to show their solidarity with the children of Ukraine. Following the race, participants were treated to free soft drinks and spring water donated by Crystal Rock and a local Pepsi-Cola distributor.

Parishioners also provided an assortment of ethnic foods to help the contestants replenish their energy. The Holy Trinity parish consists of only 55 members, according to the Rev. Mihaly, but its energy and enthusiasm compensate for its small numbers, and it has shown that it can outmatch the productivity of larger congregations.

The race received extensive coverage in the Danbury News-Times and other newspapers in western Connecticut. Co-sponsors included Wheat-First Securities of Greenwich, Conn., Guardian Alarm Systems, Danbury Holiday Inn and the Village Inn in Lennox, Mass., among others.

For more information on the road race or to learn how to organize similar fund-raisers in your community, contact the Rev. Mihaly, (203) 748-0671, or the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund, (201) 376-5140.

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