Freedom Crusade races kick off July 4 festivities

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LIBERTY, NY — Runners and walkers lined up in the bright early morning sun on July 4 to test themselves against the competition and the clock in the Freedom Crusade 10K run and 5K walk.

They came from far and wide for the races sponsored by the Catskill Mountain Dianetics Center. Three separate events were featured offering varying degrees of challenges, including a kids’ race near the Liberty Elementary School for children aged three to eight, a grueling 10K run along a hilly course and a 5K walk.

Wayne Beam of Middletown, NY was the day’s overall winner and the top male competitor in the men’s 10K. His time of 35:18 gave him his second straight win in this particular race.

Tim Decker came in second with a time of 35:08 followed by Jerry Murphy at 45:27.

Karen Lamb of Dallas, Texas managed the course in 56:53.

In the 5K walk, Eugene Cutler took his fourth straight first place finish with a time of 32:03. He was followed by Cliff Freeman at 33:23 and Dan Reed at 34:37.

The winner of the Ladies’ 5K was Pam Katz, who covered the course in 32:03. Following her were Dora Blume at 36:49 and Nicole Dreyfus at 42:03.

According to Jay Spina, “We had a great turn out. All competitors received Freedom Crusade T shirts.”

The races were a preliminary to a great day of events in Liberty, including a wonderful parade, the Liberty Street Fair, an open house at the Catskill Artists Gallery, a preview of a Weekend of Chamber Music at the Liberty Museum and Arts Center and fireworks over Liberty at night.

Kids Pedal Tractor Pulls

COCHECTON CENTER, NY — If you’re interested in old-fashioned fun, then the Cochecton Center Community Center Family Fun Day is your ticket. The down-home affair will be held at Heinle’s Field on Route 52 on July 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The Family Fun Day includes summer field races and contests such as an egg toss, feed-bag races, hobby horse races and stock cars.

A Kids Pedal Tractor Pull, with several weight classes for children ages three to 10, will be held at 1:00 p.m. Free registration and weigh-in begins at 12:00 noon. All participants are automatically entered into a drawing for a grand prize.

A chicken barbecue begins at 3:00 p.m., and vendors and other booths are sure to please all.

For more information about the pedal tractor pulls contact Sandy Coots at 845/932-9042.

	Contributed photo John Daniels, left, a resident at Wayne Delaware Manor, had a dream come true when he attended his first professional ball game at Lackawanna Stadium last month. Daniels got to throw out the first ball of the game. Red Barons new outfielder Lyle Mouton, who joined the team on Tuesday, played catcher for Daniels. (Click for larger image)

89-year-old sees his first ‘real’ game

ATCO, PA — John Daniels, 89, says he used to play a little ball when he was younger.

“I was pretty good at it, too,” he told Sandy Kline, administrator at Wayne Delaware Manor, the assisted living facility of Wayne Memorial Health System.

“But I never got to see a ‘real’ game.”

Daniels, a life-long resident of Wayne County, moved to Wayne Delaware Manor, formerly Murray Tufts Garrett Manor in September 2002.

On Tuesday June 24, Daniels’ long-time dream to attend a professional ball game came true. With the help of an organization called Second Wind Dreams, Daniels not only attended the Red Barons baseball game against the Indianapolis Indians at Lackawanna Stadium on Montage Mountain, but also threw out the first pitch. Daniels threw a powerful pitch straight to Lyle Mouton, an outfielder who was playing his first game as a Red Baron.

“It was great,” Daniels said.

Treated like a celebrity, he was interviewed by Channel 16 reporter Julie Sidoni.

The electronic outfield billboard welcomed him and a group of fellow residents to the ballpark.

Kline has become a “dreamweaver” with the help of a donation by the Wayne Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, with Second Wind Dreams to help improve the lives of residents at her facility.

“The community needs to realize that residents in an assisted living facility still have hopes and dreams,” said Kline.

Second Wind Dreams is a national, non-profit organization founded in 1997 and based in Alpharetta, Georgia. Its mission is to fulfill the dreams of those living in eldercare communities. The goal is to enhance their lives and change the perceptions of aging.

Partnering with private citizens, civic groups and businesses, nearly 300 “dreamweavers” in 36 states, and in India and Canada have made more than 1,000 dreams come true, from the simple request for a new dress to wear to church to the lifelong dream of being united with an estranged loved one.

Thanks to Sandy Kline and the Red Barons’ Vicki Lamberton and Mike Cummings, John Daniels’ dream has come true.

After the excitement of the game, Daniels was looking forward to gardening. 

“When I had my own home, I loved to garden,” Daniels said. According to Kline, Daniels still spends lots of time gardening on the 14 acres of grounds at Wayne Delaware Manor.