Support people with disabilities by purchasing a special “Laurel Run” newspaper July 7!
Since 2007, the annual “Laurel Memorial Run/Walk” newspaper sale has been a great way to raise money while spreading the word about the event. This year’s sale will take place Friday, July 7. The Post-Journal and the Observer will publish the special edition, and volunteers will sell the papers between 6:00 and 10:00 a.m. at the following locations:
Drive-thru lanes of Tim Hortons in Cassadaga, Dunkirk, Fredonia, Gowanda, Irving, Jamestown, and Lakewood
Downtown Silver Creek
Downtown Fredonia
Downtown Dunkirk
We express our gratitude to The Post-Journal and Observer for printing the special edition; the volunteers for waking up early and hitting the streets to sell the papers; and the people who buy a Laurel Run/Walk edition. While most folks who buy a paper know about the sale ahead of time, some people only find out about it that day – they ask what the volunteers are doing, learn that we’re raising money to support people with disabilities, and decide to make a contribution.
We also extend our appreciation to the businesses who allow us to sell papers at their locations each year. We are particularly indebted to the Kron family (owners of the Tim Hortons cafes in Cassadaga, Dunkirk and Fredonia) and the Tarana family (owners of the Tim Hortons locations in Jamestown and Lakewood) for allowing us to sell papers to their customers.
Those looking to enjoy a fun night out while supporting people with disabilities should plan to attend the seventh annual Sassy Baggs & Beyond “Blingo” fund-raiser Thursday, March 30.
The event will be held at The Resource Center’s administrative offices at 200 Dunham Avenue in Celoron. Doors will open at 6:00, with the Blingo games starting at 7:00. Those planning to attend should park in the rear lot and use the entrance at the top of the ramp.
The evening will feature 12 games of bingo, with handbags as prizes. Admission is $20. Included in the cost of admission are the 12 Blingo games and a chance to win a door prize.
The event is being organized by Filling the Gap, Inc., which works with The Resource Center to improve the lives of people with disabilities in Chautauqua County. Money raised through Sassy Baggs & Beyond Blingo will benefit The Resource Center Mark Pacheco WOW (Working on Wonders) Fund at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation. The WOW Fund provides money so people with disabilities can enjoy experiences they otherwise could not afford, such as attending concerts or sporting events.
“After a few years of hosting a virtual fund-raiser, we are thrilled to be back in person,” said Victoria Bardo, Development and Event manager for Filling the Gap. “Sassy Baggs and Beyond Blingo has always been a favorite fund- and friend-raiser for us. This is a great time for all who attend. We also provide light snacks and beverages.”
Tickets are available at The Resource Center’s offices on Dunham Avenue and at Filling the Gap’s offices inside the Felice Corporate Center at 92 Fairmount Avenue in Jamestown. Tickets also can be purchased online at www.fillingthegap.net/events/sassy-baggs-blingo/. For more information, phone 716-661-1477.
“Tickets are going fast. You won’t want to miss out on all of the festivities,” Bardo added.
The success of her first two efforts has inspired Dory Matwijkow to again organize a fund-raising walk to support people with autism in Chautauqua County, and she invites everyone to join her.
Dory will hold her third annual Step Up for Autism walk Saturday, October 8, in Beaver Island State Park on Grand Island. The event begins at 11:00, with the walk scheduled to start at noon. There also will be a basket raffle with many awesome prizes, as well as a bake sale featuring items made by Dory, who is a professional pastry chef.
Dory is organizing the event because of her son, Austin. Austin is on the autism spectrum and lives in a home in Jamestown operated by The Resource Center. Each September, The Resource Center typically hosts its own Step Up for Autism event, and Dory and her family and friends make the long drive to Jamestown to take part. The group calls themselves “Austin’s Angels.”
When Dory learned in August 2020 that the Step Up for Autism event at The Resource Center would be canceled because of the pandemic, she decided to organize her own walk to raise money for TRC and Filling the Gap, Inc., a Jamestown-based, not-for-profit organization that that works with The Resource Center to improve the lives of people with disabilities and other socioeconomic challenges.
Dory’s first Step Up for Autism event was held September 27, 2020. Though she had to limit the number of participants because of COVID restrictions on people gathering together, her event raised $10,000. Dory was overwhelmed by the support she received for her event. Because it went so well, she decided to hold another walk last year. That event also raised $10,000.
People are invited to take part in Dory’s Step Up for Autism walk Saturday, or they can just come for the bake sake and basket raffle. The registration fee for the walk is $25, and registrants will receive a 2022 Step Up for Autism T-shirt.
Dory has again set a goal of raised $10,000. We encourage people to help her reach that target by making a donation. You can complete the form below, or you can mail l a check (made payable to “Filling the Gap/Dory’s Walk”) to Filling the Gap, Inc., 92 Fairmount Avenue, Jamestown, NY 14701.Or they can donate to Dory’s Venmo account, which is @Dory-Matwijkow. All donations, as well as the money raised at her Step Up for Autism event, will be given to Filling the Gap to support the services The Resource Center offers to people on the autism spectrum.
The creation of her own autism walk is just one of the ways Dory supports others. Three years ago, she started baking sweets to raise money, and the following year she branched out to also bake dog biscuits. Her treats (for humans and canines) have been popular, allowing her to donate thousands of dollars to The Resource Center and Filling the Gap.
Officials at The Resource Center and Filling the Gap are grateful to Dory.
“I just want to say how much we appreciate Dory’s efforts and support,” said Cindy Hitchcock, Filling the Gap’s Vice President. “With providing only a virtual setting for our own Step Up for Autism walk in 2020 and ’21, we were not able to capitalize on the money typically realized through our basket raffle or sweets auction. Her large donations allowed Filling the Gap to maintain the level of grant funding offered to The Resource Center to assist with their programs. We can’t thank Dory enough for all of her hard work.”
“We are honored that Dory has stepped up to assist Filling the Gap and The Resource Center with their efforts to support the programs and services available to people who are on the autism spectrum,” said Victoria Trass Bardo, Development and Events Manager. “The last few years have been difficult for everyone, but Dory with all her enthusiasm was full speed ahead creating her very own version of our event. We are ever grateful to Dory, her friends and family for supporting TRC and FTG as we strive to make a difference in the lives of everyone we support.”
Participants pose before the start of the 2019 Step up for Autism walk. The in-person event returns for the first time in three years September 24.
Everyone is invited to show their support for people on the autism spectrum when The Resource Center hosts the 13th annual Step Up for Autism celebration Saturday, September 24.
Step Up for Autism takes place at The Resource Center’s administrative offices at 200 Dunham Avenue in Celoron. The event is being coordinated by Filling the Gap, Inc., and The Resource Center with support from people with autism and family members.
Activities include a 1.5-mile walk in which participants will make their way to Lucille Ball Memorial Park on the shore of Chautauqua Lake, then return to The Resource Center. There also will be a basket raffle as well as a sweets auction featuring cakes and other goodies donated by area bakeries and businesses. Information about The Resource Center, along with information about services and supports available to people on the autism spectrum, also will be on hand.
Registration and check-in for the walk will begin at 8:30 a.m., with the walk scheduled to start at about 10:00 from the back parking lot. The sweets auction and drawing of basket raffle prizes will begin at about 11:15.
Businesses, school groups and others are encouraged to put together walking teams of family members, friends and co-workers. The entry fee is $20 per person, but people are welcome to take part in the walk without paying the fee. Those who pay the registration fee will receive a 2022 Step Up for Autism T-shirt. T-shirts and other Step Up for Autism memorabilia will be available for purchase.
Those planning to participate can create a fund-raising web page to collect donations. People can set up their own fund-raising page, or create a team page that team members can promote to solicit donations.
In addition to the in-person Step Up for Autism walk, there will be a virtual option for people who are unable to attend the event but want to do their own walk to show support for those on the autism spectrum.
Event organizer Victoria Trass Bardo, development and event manager for Filling the Gap, said Step Up for Autism is a great way for people with autism and their families to connect with one another, while giving the community the opportunity to demonstrate support for those on the autism spectrum.
“We are very excited that our event this year can be held in person. There is something special when we see the parents and their families attending the event and having a great time. Our sweets auction and basket raffle are a few of our crowd favorites. We truly thank our supporters for stepping up to assist us again this year. We hope we are joined by families, friends and community members who want to show their support for our efforts this year.”
Sponsors include Brown & Brown Insurance, New Vision Services, HM Insurance, RX Benefits, Support Enterprises, and TEAM Services.
The Applebee’s restaurants in Dunkirk and Lakewood will conduct “Dinning to Donate” fund-raisers to benefit Step Up for Autism on Wednesday, September 21. A portion of people’s meal tab will be donated to Step Up for Autism. A certificate must be presented.
For more information about Step Up for Autism or to get your Applebee’s “Dining to Donate” certificate, phone 716-661-1477 or visit www.stepupforautism.org.
Lexi Holmes of Jamestown High School was the winner of the competition to design the logo for the 2022 Laurel Memorial Run and Walk.
Each year, the Laurel Run/Walk Planning Committee holds a contest among area high school students to design the event logo. The best designs are posted online, and people can vote for their favorite.
Lexi’s design features a group of people, one of whom has angel wings and a halo. That figure is thought to represent event namesake Laurel Hotelling, who died in 2017. Lexi’s design will appear on this year’s Laurel Memorial Run/Walk T-shirts. For winning the competition, she will receive a $100 gift card.
The 26th annual Laurel Memorial Run/Walk begins Friday, July 15, with the traditional Jamestown-to-Dunkirk relay run, which features representatives from area schools and the Lakeview Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility running the different legs of the relay. The relay begins at about 8:30 at McCrea Point Park on Jones & Gifford Avenue in Jamestown and ends at The Resource Center’s facility at 186 Lake Shore Drive West, where the City of Dunkirk will host a victory celebration from 12:30 to 2:00.
The following morning in Silver Creek, there will be an 8-kilometer run, a 5k fitness walk, a 1k fun walk, children’s runs and Laurel’s Legacy Lap, in which anyone with a disability is invited to talk a lap around the track at the ballfield downtown.
Laurel Run was created by Wayne and Elaine Hotelling in honor of Laurel, who was their oldest daughter and who had special needs. The event is designed to celebrate the achievements of people with disabilities. Money raised through the Laurel Memorial Run/Walk goes to Filling the Gap, which works with The Resource Center to improve the lives of people with disabilities in Chautauqua County.
For more information or to sign up to participate in Laurel Run, phone 716-934-3952 or 716-661-4735.
Area residents can show their support for people with disabilities by buying a special card at Kwik Fill.
From July 1 through July 16, United Refining Company’s Kwik Fill and Red Apple Food Mart locations will be selling paper cards to raise money for the 26th annual Laurel Memorial Run and Walk. This is the 19th year that Laurel Run/Walk organizers have partnered with United Refining.
The cards will be sold primarily at participating locations in Chautauqua and Erie counties in New York, and in Warren County, PA. Customers who buy a card can write their name on it and have it displayed in the store. The suggested contribution is $1, but donations of any amount are appreciated. Donation containers also will be set up in some locations, and people can put money in the containers if they’d prefer not to write their name on a card.
All of the money raised in Chautauqua County will go to Filling the Gap, which works with The Resource Center to improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families. Money raised in Erie and Warren counties will be split with organizations that support people with disabilities in each of those counties. In Erie County, proceeds from the sneaker sales will be split with The Arc of Erie County; in Warren County, money will be split with the Barber National Institute’s Bollinger Campus.
The Laurel Memorial Run/Walk was created by Wayne and Elaine Hotelling of Silver Creek, NY, in honor of their oldest daughter, who had Down syndrome. The event seeks to raise public awareness about individuals with disabilities while providing an opportunity for people with disabling conditions, and those without, to come together at a fun, family-friendly event.
Proceeds from the Laurel Memorial Run/Walk are used to enhance employment and work training opportunities for people with disabilities.
This year’s Laurel Memorial Run/Walk takes place July 15 and 16. The first day consists of a relay run and a 30-mile endurance run from Jamestown to Dunkirk. The following day in Silver Creek there will be an 8-kilometer run, a 5k fitness walk, a 1k fun walk, children’s runs, and “Laurel’s Legacy Lap,” in which people with disabilities take a lap around the track at the village ball field.
For more information about the Laurel Memorial Run/Walk, phone (716) 661-4735
The Panera restaurant in Lakewood will hold a fund-raiser June 29 to benefit people with disabilities through the 26th annual Laurel Memorial Run & Walk.
The Panera on Mall Boulevard in Lakewood will allow patrons to have 20 percent of their check total donated to Laurel Run. This promotion is valid on dine-in orders, drive-thru, pickup, and delivery. The promotion runs all day for online orders, but is only valid from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. for people who dine in the cafe.
People must present a special voucher in order for the money to be donated to Laurel Run. The voucher can be found below! You can have a voucher faxed or emailed to you by phoning 716-661-4735. People ordering online should use the promotion code FUND4U during checkout.
Please be aware that for the Panera fund-raiser, people will not receive a discount on the cost of their meal. Rather, 20 percent of what they pay for their meal will be donated to Laurel Run.
Wayne and Elaine Hotelling created Laurel Run in 1997 in honor of their oldest daughter.
The Laurel Memorial Run & Walk is a celebration of the potential that exists within people who have disabilities. Laurel led a full life, which included having a job at The Resource Center’s Dunkirk Work Center for more than 30 years. Hundreds of Chautauqua County residents with disabilities have jobs – and hundreds of others volunteer in the community – with support from The Resource Center.
The Laurel Memorial Run/Walk takes place July 15 and 16. The first day features a Jamestown-to-Dunkirk relay run, while day two includes a number of walking and running events in the Hotellings’ hometown of Silver Creek. Money raised through Laurel Run goes to Filling the Gap, Inc., which works with The Resource Center to improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families in Western New York. For more information, visit the Laurel Run web site or phone 716-661-4735.
People who eat at Applebee’s on June 29 can help raise money to support people with disabilities through the 26th annual Laurel Memorial Run & Walk.
All day long, the Applebee’s restaurants in Dunkirk and Lakewood will hold “Dining to Donate” fund-raisers to benefit the Laurel Memorial Run/Walk. The restaurants will allow patrons to have 10 percent of their check total – excluding tax and tip – donated to Laurel Run. People must present a special voucher in order for the money to be donated to Laurel Run. The voucher can be found below! You can have a voucher faxed or emailed to you by phoning 716-661-4735.
Please be aware that for the Applebee’s fund-raisers, people will not receive a discount on the cost of their meal. Rather, 10 percent of what they pay for their meal will be donated to Laurel Run.
Wayne and Elaine Hotelling created Laurel Run in 1997 in honor of their oldest daughter.
The Laurel Memorial Run & Walk is a celebration of the potential that exists within people who have disabilities. Laurel led a full life, which included having a job at The Resource Center’s Dunkirk Work Center for more than 30 years. Hundreds of Chautauqua County residents with disabilities have jobs – and hundreds of others volunteer in the community – with support from The Resource Center.
The Laurel Memorial Run/Walk takes place July 15 and 16. The first day features a Jamestown-to-Dunkirk relay run, while day two includes a number of walking and running events in the Hotellings’ hometown of Silver Creek. Money raised through Laurel Run goes to Filling the Gap, Inc., which works with The Resource Center to improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families in Western New York. For more information, visit the Laurel Run web site or phone 716-661-4735.
Dan and Beth Hocking, Owners of ACME The Appliance Store, recently donated a Weber Gas Grill that will be used for a drawing to support the 26th Annual TRC Golf Classic.
The TRC Golf Classic is the major annual fund-raising event for Filling the Gap, Inc., a Jamestown-based non-profit organization that works with The Resource Center to support people with disabilities and other socioeconomic challenges in Chautauqua County. In its first 25 years, the tournament has netted close to $1.7 million for the TRC Foundation Fund, which raises money to improve the lives of people with disabling conditions in Chautauqua County.
“We are very thankful for The Resource Center and the positive and lasting impact they have on our community,” said Dan Hocking. “ACME The Appliance Store is honored to donate this Weber Gas Grill to help raise money for the TRC Golf Classic. With Summer right around the corner, this will be a very desirable item! Beth and I are strong believers in giving back to the community. The Resource Center makes a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis, and we are happy to continue to support their efforts.”
The 2022 TRC Golf Classic is scheduled for July 25 at Moon Brook Country Club in Jamestown. For more information or to sponsor, please visit www.trcgolfclassic.com.
Picture: l to r – Josh Holsinger, Special Olympics Athlete; Matt Carlson, Special Olympics Athlete; and Dan Hocking, Co-Owner, ACME The Appliance Store
CAPTION:Posing with the items to be given away during the monthlong Blingo prize drawing are Victoria Bardo, left, development and event manager for Filling the Gap, and Cindy Hitchcock, FTG’s vice president of business and finance.
People who enjoy the excitement of a daily prize drawing can take part in the sixth annual “Sassy Baggs & Beyond Blingo” fund-raiser to benefit people with disabilities.
Typically for the Blingo event, people gather at The Resource Center for a night of bingo, with designer handbags as prizes. That wasn’t possible again this year because of the pandemic, so instead organizers have created a “20 Prizes in 20 Days” event.
Every weekday starting April 4 and lasting through the end of the month, Filling the Gap, Inc., will hold a drawing for one of 20 prizes. Items include handbags, gift cards, a smart speaker, a Bluetooth speaker, a vacuum sealer, a blender, a toolkit, and a video doorbell. All of the prizes can be viewed at www.fillingthegap.net.
The online version of Blingo was introduced last year because of the pandemic. Victoria Trass Bardo, development and events manager at Filling the Gap, said that while The Resource Center and Filling the Gap hope their other traditional community events can be held this year, organizers couldn’t bring a large group of people together for Blingo.
“We were optimistic about hosting an in-person, fun-filled event in 2022, but it is not possible given the guidelines we are following at this time,” said Bardo, adding that the online Blingo will follow the same format as last year.
“Our 2021 Blingo event was such a success that we are planning on an online event once again this year. There are 20 awesome items up for grabs. We hope these unique items will inspire everyone to purchase their tickets soon,” she said.
A $20 ticket gives the buyer one chance in each of the daily drawings. People can improve their odds of winning by buying multiple tickets. Tickets can be bought online at the Filling the Gap web site or in person at the Felice Corporate Center, 92 Fairmount Avenue in Jamestown, and The Resource Center’s administrative offices at 200 Dunham Avenue in Celoron. Tickets can be purchased until March 31.
The Blingo event is being organized by Filling the Gap, which works with The Resource Center to improve the lives of people with disabilities in Chautauqua County. Proceeds will benefit The Resource Center Look Good Fund at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation. The Look Good Fund supports people with disabilities in areas such as personal care, personal appearance, clothing, protective gear, and transportation. The fund was established by the late Margaret Look, who in the 1960s and ‘70s was a member of The Resource Center’s board of directors and was news editor at The Post-Journal.
Other events scheduled for this year include a Slow Roll Pedal Party on June 18 in Dunkirk; the Laurel Memorial Run and Walk on July 15 and 16; the TRC Golf Classic on July 25; the Mark Pacheco WOW Fund Lip Sync Battle on August 26; and Step Up for Autism on September 24. For more information about Blingo or any of the other events conducted by The Resource Center and Filling the Gap, phone Bardo at 716-661-1477.
