News

Winners announced for inaugural GAIF Ranger Run 5k

August 4, 2008

David Putney and Michelle Nizzi were the top male and female finishers in the Great American Irish Festival's first ever Ranger Run 5k road race. Over two hundred runners participated in the Inaugural Ranger Run 5K on Saturday, July 26. The run, named in memory of festival director Matt Sullivan's father, Tim, started and finished on the festival grounds and traveled through the village of Frankfort.

Dr. Daniel Murphy got the runners charged up with his bagpipes after very moving renditions of the US and Irish National Anthems by Pat Kane. Utica P.D. and F.D. Chaplain from Our Lady of Lourdes, Fr. Joseph Salerno sent the runners off with a prayer (which may have been the only thing that got some of them through!)

Putney crossed the finish line in 17:30 while hometown runner Nizzi was clocked at 19:40 (barely edging out Great American Irish Festival Treasurer Linda Voce, who finished, well, sometime that same day.)