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Mark Simala, a member of the Brooke County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 101, will be participating in the race while pushing an Easter Seals client and his own son in a donated special needs-designed jogging wheelchair from the Dreamer Design Co.
Simala will be pushing his son, Kyle, age 4, and Cortney Bugala, age 6, in the race.
Simala’s son is a special needs child and a former client of Easter Seals.
Kyle has autism, a disorder of the brain function that appears in early life, generally before the age of 3.
“There are few things in life scarier than having a child diagnosed with any kind of special need, and autism is one of the scariest disabilities,” Simala said.
Bugala, a present client at Easter Seals, is diagnosed with cerebral palsy and receives speech and physical therapy services.
Simala is an avid runner and even finished 20th in the 20K Classic in 2004.
Simala will push his son during the first half of the race and drop him off at the top of 29th Street hill at mile mark 5.5.
He will pick up Bugala at the bottom for safety reasons, he said.
“Everyone is excited,” Simala said. “These kids have a tough road and I want to try to make (their) lives a little better.”
Simala works for the Drug Enforcement Agency in Brooke County and is looking forward to the event.
“I see the worst in people and this is a chance to see the best,” he said.
Easter Seals spokeswoman Amy Kusic said she is excited about the event.
“Easter Seals is thrilled to have (the children) participate in the Ogden 20K,” Kusic said.
Kusic said there will be Easter Seals staff throughout the race cheering on Simala and the children and asks others to come cheer for them.
The Ogden 20K Classic is the inaugural race for the FOP/Easter Seals Race Team.
The goal of the team is to enhance the lives and mobility of children with disabilities or special needs by allowing them to compete in running races that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. Secondary goals include educating the public about issues the disabled/special needs children face every day, and to raise money for Easter Seals.
“I wanted to do something for the kids,” Simala said. “It will be great to see their faces and smiles and let them participate in the race.”
Simala said the team is based upon the concept of Team Hoyt, a similar father and son team from Massachusetts who together compete in marathon races.
Simala will be competing in other 5K, 10K, 1/2 marathon and marathon distances. Simala will be pushing a number of Easter Seals clients in these races.
The Brooke County FOP Lodge 101 has established a special FOP/Easter Seals fund at Parkvale Savings Bank. Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 290, Wellsburg, WV 26070.
Any special needs child wishing to join the race team and compete in local events can call Simala at (304) 797-5700 or Kusic at (304) 242-1398. |
Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic