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Runners race for special kids

Runners race for special kids
Photo by Elizabeth Graham

About 350 Ridgers turned out last weekend to run and raise money to help special kids at the Harbor Fitness Race for Autism.

There was a pee-wee run for kids aged 4–11 and a 5K run-walk to runners aged 12 and up, plus Zumba fitness classes and a raffle drawing to add to the fun.

All proceeds went to the Harbor Fitness Scholarship for the HeartShare School for children with autism. This was the seventh year in a row that Harbor Fitness has partnered with HeartShare for the event to help children with autism.

“This event is important to us because some of the founders of HeartShare are members of our gym,” said Lisa Lekacos, general manager of Harbor Fitness, which has gyms in Bay Ridge, Park Slope and Mill Basin. “By knowing some of these founders, we get to go inside the schools and see how the money is helping these children.”

The HeartShare School is a contract school that works with the Department of Education to serve children aged 5–21 who have autism and other developmental disabilities.

Tallulah, 2, and Duke Henderson, 6, of Bay Ridge, after running the kids race at the 5k Harbor Fitness Run for Autism.
Photo by Elizabeth Graham