Laurel Run was started in 1997 by Wayne and Elaine Hotelling of Silver Creek. The annual event is named in honor of their daughter who has Down syndrome. Laurel Run seeks to raise awareness and appreciation about the achievements of persons with disabilities. Money raised through Laurel Run goes to Filling the Gap, Inc., which works with The Resource Center to support people with disabilities and their families.

High schoolers who want to take part in the contest need to submit their Designs must by Monday, April 27.

Designs should be submitted to: Laurel Run Logo Contest, c/o Filling the Gap, 92 Fairmount Avenue, Jamestown, NY, 14701.  Designs also may be submitted electronically to kayla.bohall@fillingthegap.net.  All entries become the property of Filling the Gap.

The 19th annual Laurel Run will take place July 17-18.

For more information about the logo contest, call 661-4735. For information about Laurel Run, visit www.laurel-run.com.

Laurel Hotelling

JAMESTOWN – Area residents are once again invited to help select the logo for this year’s Laurel Run.

Laurel Run organizers have partnered with the Dunkirk Observer to enable the online community to help choose the Laurel Run logo. Each year, area high school students are invited to submit designs for the logo.

This year’s submissions were on display at last month’s The Resource Center Expo events in Dunkirk and Jamestown. The results of voting at those two events determined 10 finalists, which have now been posted on the Observer’s web site, and people are encouraged to vote for their favorite. Online voting will be live until 4:30 p.m. Friday, June 13.

To see the designs and to cast your vote, visit extras.observertoday.com/LaurelRun/Laurel.asp.

The winning design will appear on this year’s Laurel Run T-shirts and other promotional materials. The winning artist will receive a $100 gift card.

Laurel Run seeks to raise awareness about people with disabilities. It was started in 1997 by Wayne and Elaine Hotelling of Silver Creek and is named in honor of their oldest daughter, Laurel, who has Down syndrome. Money raised through Laurel Run goes to Filling the Gap, Inc., to fund disability awareness and prevention activities; proceeds also are used to enhance employment and work training opportunities for adults with disabilities.

Laurel Run is a two-day event. The annual Jamestown-to-Dunkirk relay run will take place Friday, July 18. The following morning, an 8-kilometer race and a 5k walk takes place in Silver Creek.

For more information about Laurel Run, visit www.laurel-run.com or phone 661-4735.

The 17^th annual Laurel Run celebrates the achievements of people with disabilities while at the same time driving home the message that people with disabilities can accomplish great things if given the opportunity.

Laurel Run was started in 1997 when Silver Creek resident Wayne Hotelling jogged and cycled more than 400 miles across New York State in honor of his oldest daughter, who has Down syndrome.  In 1999, relay runners set out from eight different parts of the state, and some six weeks later the eight relay legs came together in Albany for a grand finale. Laurel Run had passed through every county in the state, and more than 20,000 people participated.

Laurel Run is now an annual event that takes place in Chautauqua County, but it has retained the essence of that 1999 state-wide relay.  Each year, relay runners transport a Laurel Run flag from Jamestown to Dunkirk to officially kick off Laurel Run weekend.

The 2013 Laurel Run relay is being sponsored by Premier Consulting Associates. Proceeds from Laurel Run go to Filling the Gap, Inc., which works with The Resource Center to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

For more information or to register for Laurel Run, call 661-4735 or visit www.laurel-run.com.