Concern Fun Run Delivers Smashing Success

If there were ever any doubts about the spirit and generosity of New Yorkers in tough economic times, those were laid to rest last Saturday when more than 1,000 runners, walkers and their supporters showed up for Concern Worldwide's annual 4-mile Fun/Run to raise money for the world's poor.

"We were absolutely stunned by the turnout," said Siobhan Walsh, Concern's executive director. "This fantastic crowd was saying: we can change our world," she added.

The 11th edition of the Fun Run raised more than $110,000, funds earmarked to help provide lifesaving treatment thousands of severely malnourished children in Niger and Ethiopia and some of the poorest families displaced by conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad.

Mild temperatures and bright sun marked the day that got officially underway when Miss Africa USA, South-African born Nyasha Zimucha, briefly saluted the runners and sounded the horn to start the race at 9.30am sharp.

Brendan O'Donoghue, manager of the Pig & Whistle pub in Times Square, was the first man to cross the finish line at 22:55.

Dianne McKenna led all female runners by completing the race at 25:52. Runners up, on the men's side, were Chris Solarz (23:06) and Jerry Macari (23:22).

Monika Nemeth (25:52) and Katherine Riposta (26:22) finished second and third among women participants.

Captain Michael Traynor led the largest Pub Team, with 151 runners representing the Mad Hatter Salooon.

Led by their captain, Shane Naughton, the Pyramid Schemers fielded the largest regular team, with 92 runners.

The Pyramid Schemers raised the most sponsorship of all regular teams, while the Mad Hatter Team was tops among pub teams.

Concern also highlighted the work of Joan Carroll, John Murphy, Mary Devine, Terry Burke and Aya Egawa who were all recognized as star individual fundraisers.

Concern works in 28 countries around the world, including 17 sub-Saharan African nations, and benefits some 12 million people. The organization's goal is the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty and the reduction of suffering in the world's poorest countries.

The organization's programs focus on emergency relief and long-term development work in the areas of health, HIV and AIDS, education and livelihoods.