Fourth Annual Walk for Kids' Sake in Wantagh Raises $60K

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island (BBBSLI) hosted its fourth Annual Walk for Kids’ Sake, presented by GEICO, raising nearly $60,000 at the charity held on the Boardwalk in Wantagh.  

This annual event raises much needed funds to sustain and grow BBBSLI’s mentoring program, which provides children facing adversity with a screened and trained volunteer mentor in a professionally supported 1-to-1 mentoring relationship.

With a route along the Jones Beach Boardwalk, the Walk for Kids’ Sake launched it’s first Fun Run in addition to the 5K walk. Runners lined up in front of the tunnel at Field 5, which leads to the boardwalk, for a shotgun start. The 300 registered walkers followed immediately after.

Little Sister Vatina helped kick off the race, with Big Sister Silvia by her side: “I want to thank you, from all of us Littles, for being here today and supporting us!" Vatina said.

Winning 1st place overall in the 5K Fun Run and first place in the women’s division was Cassandra Gucciardo with a time of 21:37. Nine-year old Jake Rabin finished 2nd overall and first in the men’s division with a time of 22:29. All race times are available online.

Local sponsors that made the event possible include, Presenting Sponsor GEICO and Gold Sponsor Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

Silver Sponsors included: A-1 First Class Moving & Storage, Capital One Bank, Center for Wealth Preservation, Chips Technology Group, Inc., City Cellar, DeFreitas & Minsky CPA, LLC, Dycon Industries, Flushing Bank, GNP Branded Gear, Hoenigmann & Cohen CPAs P.C., Jeff & Kathi Glass, Ivy & Dan Greenburg, Jim’s Deli & Catering, Katz Zlotnick & Associates, Meyer Suozzi English & Klein, P.C., New York Auto Giant, North Shore LIJ Southside Hospital, Sanders Sanders Block Woycik Viener & Grossman, P.C., Scholastic Promotions, Shore Line Insurance, Stop & Shop of Levittown, UTZ, V.T. Mancusi, Inc. and Wells Fargo Advisors.

Donations can still be made online at www.bbbsli.kintera.org/5K.