Whitey Ford Field

The Daily Plant : Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Future Olympic Hopefuls Make Parks Proud

A total of 13 participants from all five boroughs qualified for the Hershey’s Track & Field North American Finals, which took place from August 3 through August 6.  The event included an all expenses paid trip to “the sweetest place on earth,” Hershey, Pennsylvania and was sponsored by the Hershey Company.  The athletes were taken on an exclusive tour of the Hershey Chocolate Factory and were treated to a day of fun at Hershey Amusement Park.

More than 400,000 boys & girls, ages 9 to 14, from all over the United States competed at state meets for a chance to make it to the Finals.  New York State’s meet was hosted by Parks & Recreation at Astoria Track & Field in Queens.  Over 200 children participated in various events including 50, 100, 200 and 400- yard dashes, 800 and 1600-meter runs, a 4 x 100 relay, a standing long jump & a softball throw.

At the Finals, Phyllis Francis, age 13 from Queens, was voted Most Outstanding Athlete.  She was also the only participant to break a record in the competition, running a 2:13.26 in the girls 13-14 800-meter race.  Another highlight was the performance of Whitney Fountain, age 13 from the Bronx.  Whitney almost broke Olympic Gold Medallist Monique Henderson’s record when she competed at the Hershey Finals by three-tenths of a second.  Whitney was awarded a $20,000 scholarship for outstanding leadership, character and sportsmanship. 

At the event many of Team USA’s Olympic Medallists, who competed as children at Hershey, were on hand signing autographs and posing for pictures with participants.  The athletes included #1 World Ranked Sonya Richards, Olympic Gold Medallist Monique Henderson, and World Champion Bershawn Jackson.  Also on hand were National Track & Field Hall of Famers Carl Lewis and Rafer Johnson.  Johnson is also the official spokesperson for the Hershey Track & Field Games.

Congratulations to all of our City’s young athletes for their success!

Written by Wanda Mojica

BLOOD DRIVE POSTPONED

The next blood drive for the Arsenal, Arsenal West, Arsenal North and the Central Park Conservancy has been postponed.

It is now scheduled to take place on Wednesday, November 15 and Thursday, November 16.

We hope to see past, present and future donors there.

Please keep in mind that you need not wait to donate blood.  Until 56 days before donating in the Gallery, you can donate at any blood bank.  Although donating at another facility will not earn you any comp. time, Parks will be credited if you give our Group Identification # 1325.

If you have any questions, please call Hedi Piel at (212) 830-7740

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

“In faith and hope the world will disagree, but all mankind's concern is charity.”

Alexander Pope
(1688 – 1744)