To the Editor:

Thank you to everyone who made GardenShare's second annual Fight Hunger 5K a success!

Over 100 people turned out to run or walk the 5K course and, together with the business sponsors, they raised more than $8,000 to support GardenShare's mission of solving the problem of hunger in St. Lawrence County.

The funds raised will help low and moderate-income people access fresh, locally grown food and in the process, support our local farmers. It's a win-win kind of thing!

The top fundraising individual for the Fight Hunger 5K was John O'Connor who raised $408 and was recognized with a basket of local food donated by several area farms, including Squeak Creek Apiaries, Sweetcore Farm, and Tupper's Hilltop Maple Treats. Mr. O'Connor is in training for the Chicago Marathon and asked people to sponsor him to both celebrate his birthday and the upcoming marathon.

The top fundraising team for the Fight Hunger 5K was SLU sorority Kappa Delta Sigma who raised, in total, $255. This group will get a pizza party, donated by Clarkson Catering Services by ARAMARK, as a reward.

Giant thanks to the presenting sponsors for the Fight Hunger 5K: St. Lawrence Health Systems and Stauffer Farms.

Both have been ongoing and generous supporters of GardenShare's work. They were joined at the Fight Hunger 5K by the following friend sponsors: Curran Renewable Energy, Hyde-Stone Mechanical Contractors, KM Golf Academy, North Country Savings Bank, Ole Deckside, Save-a-Lot, St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union, and Tupper Lake Supply.

In addition, there were generous in-kind donations from ProAct and Save-a-Lot.

And of course, thank you and congratulations to the hard-working team of volunteers who put this event together and who were there doing whatever needed to be done on Sunday! Each of you exemplifies what community is all about!

Gloria McAdam

Executive director of GardenShare