By Rob Potter
FORESTBURGH — August 21, 2007 — The inaugural Forestburgh Day 5K Run/Walk was a success.
A total of 137 athletes from Sullivan County and beyond traveled to Forestburgh on Saturday morning for the first ever event.
The 5K race began at the intersection of Lake Joseph Road and Adam Road near the Lake Joseph Estates. The scenic course, which was on-road and, for about 1/4-mile, off-road, took the runners and walkers around Lake Joseph.
After the race concluded and the awards were presented, the event organizers estimated that close to $12,000 was raised for Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties.
The first runner to cross the finish line was Tim Billias. The 2003 Monticello High School graduate recorded a time of 17 minutes, 55 seconds.
Billias, who graduated in May from Ithaca College with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, said he recently began running again after taking a break from the sport.
He enjoyed the race.
“The course was great,” said Billias, who was a four-year member of the cross country and track teams at Monticello High School. “It was a nice mix of running on the road and on a dirt trail.
“This a nice race,” he added. “It was very well organized and benefits a great cause.”
The first woman to finish the race was Leane DiSalvo of Suffern. She ran the 3.1-mile course in exactly 24 minutes.
DiSalvo said that she heard about the race from her friend Kathleen Davies and decided to drive up to Forestburgh with Davies to participate in the event.
Like Billias, DiSalvo enjoyed the course.
“This is a good course,” she said. “There is a good mix of uphills and downhills.”
“This was a perfect day for running,” DiSalvo continued. “The sun was out, but it was cool and there was some cloud cover.”
DiSalvo said she was happy to run in a race that benefits such a great cause.
Billias and DiSalvo will have their names engraved on the respective men’s and women’s trophies which will be placed in the Forestburgh Town Hall.
One of the youngest competitors in Saturday’s race was Heaven Porter of Swan Lake. The 9-year-old ran the course in 28:38, which earned her third place in the 19 and under female age group.
Heaven, who will enter the fourth grade this autumn at Sullivan West Elementary School, receives running advice from her uncle Earl Jackson and mother Autumn Porter, both of whom ran cross country and track during their high school days.
The Forestburgh Day 5K was the fifth race that the younger Porter has run this summer, with the others being the Delaware Youth Center 5K River Race, Jeff Jam 5K, Monticello “Baby Monster” 5K and Rhulen Rock Hill Run and Ramble 5K.
“I like it,” Heaven said of Saturday’s race. “It was a lot of fun.”
Heaven had her own cheering section at the event. Those who encouraged her included her mother, father Duane, younger sister Angel and grandfather.
The age group winners in the 2007 Forestburgh Day 5K are as follows:
19 and under Male: 1. Greg Lewis, 18:45; 2. Ben Raponi, 23:42; 3. William VanHage Jr., 25:10
19 and Under Female: 1. Kim Parks, 24:28; 2. Joanna Goldfarb, 25:18; 3. Heaven Porter, 28:38
20-29 Male: 1. Zach Weinman, 20:35; 2. Erik Morse, 25:48; 3. Ryan Culligan, 25:54
20-29 Female: 1. Nicole Jones  25:11; 2. Jessica Hansley, 26:33; 3. Amelia Devlin, 38:34
30-39 Male: 1. Andy McKean,  18:46; 2. Kevin Marrazzo, 20:25; 3. John Maranzana, 22:49
30-39 Female: 1. Sharon Zimmerman, 26:46; 2. Nancy Figueroa, 28:06; 3. Erin Galligan, 28:36
40-49 Male: 1. Jim Westerman, 20:57; 2. Joe Trinity, 21:03; 3. Douglas Woods, 22:58
40-49 Female: 1. Sandy Monroe, 24:48; 2. Sharon Lehr, 27:16; 3. Julie Dreher, 27:45
50-59 Male: 1. Bob McPhillips, 20:07; 2. Ken Lohmeyer, 20:59; 3. Peter Weinman, 22:35
50-59 Female: 1. Kim Flynn, 31:50; 2. Amy Hansley, 35:34; 3. Susannah Hansley, 35:41
60-69 Male: 1.Carl Amaditz,  31:39; 2. Martin Handler, 34:27; 3.  Burton Ledina, 45:57
60-69 Female: 1. Kathleen Davies, 36:11; 2. Judy Green,  49:17; 3. Pat Diuguid, 54:20
70 and Over Male: 1. Bob Barrett, 37:27; 2. Bernie Berson, 40:06; 3. George Juergens, 45:50
70 and Over Female: 1. Jackie Bayer, 45:48; 2. Jan Hirschfield  60:50.