Strides for Stewart

This Saturday marks the second annual "Strides for Stewart 2 Benefit ECMC" race at Veterans Park in Grand Island, N.Y.

On Mar. 7, 2009, Amy Stewart, a 22-year-old UB graduate student in the department of education, suffered serious head trauma when struck by a car in a hit-and-run incident while crossing Main Street near Daemen College.

Stewart was in a coma in the trauma unit of Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) and was hospitalized for 75 days.

Last year, there was a benefit race held for Stewart called "Strides for Stewart." This year, Stewart's goal is to raise money for the rehabilitation department at ECMC.

"My reason for wanting to [donate to ECMC] is that they've been such a huge help to me with getting me back to where I was before my injuries," Stewart said. "I just remember all the help they gave me. So I thought that this year, instead of [the fundraiser] being for me, it would be for another organization, for the rehabilitation department to just say thank you and that I appreciate what [they] did."

According to Stewart, ECMC will be able to use the donations in the way it thinks best, but she hopes that donations will be used toward technology that will help patients in conditions similar to what she faced last year.

The event will take place on Saturday at Veterans Park at 1717 Bedell Rd. in Grand Island, N.Y. Registration and check-in on site will start at 7:30 a.m. and the race will begin at 9 a.m., rain or shine.

Awards will be given to top overall male and female as well as to the top male and female in age groups 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-35, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, and 80 and above.

For more information, contact 716-773-9143 or stridesforstewart@yahoo.com. The registration form is provided on www.ubspectrum.com.

E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com