East Meadow will get a memorial race with a distinctly local purpose the Monday after next, when the Nassau Police Running Club brings its Police Officer Memorial 5K to Eisenhower Park. The chip-timed run/walk will honor Nassau County officers who died in the line of duty while helping fund scholarships for graduating high school seniors.
In a recent Nassau County Police Department Facebook post, organizers said the event welcomes all fitness levels and includes a race shirt, awards for top finishers and a Kids 1K Fun Run. Registration is open through the official race registration page, with the main 5K scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
From Officer Farley’s Memorial To A Scholarship Fund
The event dates to 1993, when the Nassau Police Running Club created a 5K to remember Officer Gary R. Farley, who died in the line of duty. The club later renamed the race after Nassau County lost Officers Michael Califano and Geoffrey Breitkopf in 2011, according to the running club’s memorial history.
Today, the race’s purpose extends beyond remembrance: the club says scholarships are awarded to graduating students involved in school running clubs, including students from high schools connected to fallen officers. The event’s fundraising page lists a $20,000 goal for the NCPD Memorial Scholarship Fund.
What’s Planned At Eisenhower Park
The 5K will start and finish at the Field House in Eisenhower Park, and the department’s event announcement describes the race as chip-timed. The same program gives younger participants their own 1K course, making the evening a family-friendly memorial as well as a competitive run.
