The PRC’s 19th Annual Fayne Daniels Walkathon … Happy Faces and Plenty of Sunshine!

September 19^th was the perfect early fall day for 101 community members to gather at the pavilion at Lakeside Park for the Pawling Resource Center’s 19^th Annual Fayne Daniels Walkathon.  This was the ideal venue for enthusiastic PRC supporters to walk; munch on great food truck fare by I’guana Tacos, Holy Rollers Wood Fired Pizza, and Pawling’s own Normby Creamery’s homemade ice cream; play with adorably rambunctious puppies from Happy Life Animal Rescue; and delight in youngsters’ play with fun games and a bouncy castle set up to keep them joyfully entertained.  Music, provided by Playing Mantis, was great for dancing, engaging many event participants to bop along with the beat.

This year, as the PRC celebrates its 50^th anniversary, the goal of raising $50,000 at this annual event seemed wholly aspirational.  However, through the tremendous generosity of the Pawling community, as of the writing of this article, 98% of this goal has been attained with some additional funds still forthcoming.  The board, staff, and volunteers are immensely grateful for the community’s unstinting support, with dollars earmarked for PRC programs that assist Pawling’s neighbors in need during this particularly difficult economic environment.

Walkathon sponsors were diverse, with 49 businesses and families supporting this event, more than double last year’s sponsor participation.  50^th Anniversary sponsors who donated $5,000 or more included the Pawling Resource Center’s Board of Directors, The Monahan Laighton Memorial Fund, and AllSpace Self Storage.  Included among Diamond-level sponsors were Madeo Multimedia, Sunflour Bakery, the Charles Daniels III family, and Westchester Modular Homes. Gold sponsors included Pest Guard, NFP Insurance Solutions, George Apap Painting, the Allen family, the Rickert family, the Busby family and the Taylor family.  Silver sponsors were Ingersoll Auto of Pawling, Dutchess Auto Body and Service Center, Chase Bank, Key Bank, M&T Bank, Eastern Hay, Station Inn Pawling, DPL Lawyers, and the Stone family.  Sponsors at the Bronze level included Pawling Vintage Emporium, the Law Office of Patricia Rusch Bellucci, George Hartshorn Paving, Crystal Window and Door, O’Connor’s Public House, the Mejorado family, the Clark family, Trinity-Pawling School, and the Aguilar family.  Community sponsors were Dutchess County Sheriff Kirk Imperati; Native Landscapes and Garden Center; Coast 2 Coast Dog Treats; The Shed Haus; Thomsen Bookkeeping and Office Solutions; Byron’s Patterson Auto Body; Vinny’s Deli; Insite Engineering, Surveying & Landscape Architecture; St. John the Evangelist-St. Charles Borromeo Parish; Live 4 Art Gallery; Cartwright & Daughters Tent & Party Rentals, Inc.; Mountain Hunter Outdoors; Karen’s Diner; Pawling Shakespeare Club; Rev. Stefan Gramenz; the Tucci family; and the Mutchler family.

Prizes of gourmet baskets from The Blue Olive were awarded to those walkers who went above and beyond with their fundraising efforts on the PRC’s behalf.  The individual walker who raised the most for the PRC’s walkathon this year was Christine Portfert and the top fundraising team was One Step at a Time, led by team captain Diane Dobraj. 

The PRC wishes to thank Pawling Recreation and the many hands and hearts that made this important fundraiser a success.  Special thanks to Jennifer Tayor for chairing this event, and to Mario Mejorado for his skilled leadership as Resource Center board chair.  Additionally, recognition goes out to PRC executive director Michael Alexander, program coordinator Brandon Dobraj, members of the board, and numerous volunteers who devoted hours and expertise to this project.

With need growing among Pawling’s underserved population, the board of directors, along with the executive director, are keenly aware that as difficult times persist, the PRC must meet the challenge.  For information about the Pawling Resource Center, its hours of operation, available programs, and ways to help, please log on to pawlingresourcecenter.org.