Centennial Year Church Events

June 17, 2006 -   The 11th Annual Run For The Church was held on Saturday morning, June 17. The event was hosted by SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in South River, N.J., and was co-sponsored by four area sister Orthodox Churches - Holy Annunciation Church in Brick, N.J., Christ the Saviour Church in Paramus, N.J., Mother of God, Joy of All Who Sorrow Mission in Rocky Hill, N.J., and SS. Peter and Paul Church in Manville, N.J. (please see event shirt below left). The event was chaired by Hank Dziemian (photo below right) from SS. Peter and Paul parish and he was assisted by Diane Dreyer who coordinated the walking portion of the event. It was Hank who had started the event as a solo effort to raise funds for our Church. The run is a participatory, non-competitive event and it included runners, walkers, and bicyclists as participants. The 19 or 20 mile course between Freehold and South River has its inception at the home of our Church President, James Kornafel, and its conclusion at the front gate of SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in South River. Participants pass through Freehold, Marlboro, Old Bridge, East Brunswick, and South River during the course of the run. Below are scenes from the starting gate at Jim's house to the finish line at our Church, including the reception which followed.

Above left, the runners gathered before 9:00 a.m. in the well-kept and beautiful backyard of the Kornafel Family home. Above right, the Kornafel backyard through the eye of an infrared filter. Viewers will immediately recognize those from our parish (below left and right) who participated in the event.

Above left - solid fuel was available pre-race as was electrolyte fluid (above right). Below left - Mr. Robert Kornafel, former Starosta of our parish, discusses the upcoming run with V. Rev. Gary Breton, Rector of Holy Annunciation Church in Brick, N.J. Below right - we see Rev. Garretson and current Church Starosta James Kornafel times two, counting their reflected images.

Above - some of the runners spent the time pre-race with their skateboards, the objective here being to pass over the manhole cover through the air. Below left is our Choirmaster, Mr. Basil Kozak, who has successfully completed the New York City Marathon. Below right is the event hostess, Mrs. Olga Kornafel.

Above left - there are those skateboarders again! Above right - we see V. Rev. David Vernak, Rector of Christ the Saviour Church in Paramus, N.J., relaxing in the Kornafel's backyard. Below right - Rev. David Garretson, Rector of SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in South River, N.J., gives the travel blessing before the run.

Above left - Hank Dziemian hands off the race baton while, above right, Rev. Garretson blesses the runners with Holy Water. Below left - Starosta Kornafel videotapes the start of the run. Below right - AND THEY'RE OFF!!!

The race well underway in Freehold, walkers assemble in South River to participate in the walk portion of the event. In the photo above left, Walk Coordinator Diane Dreyer (left) reviews the route with Bella Rosebishvilli. Above right, a group photo of the walkers in front of our Church before they set off. Members of our parish were joined in this portion of the event by parishioners from SS. Peter and Paul Church in Manville, N.J. Below, Mrs. Lisa Yasuk offers her son the opportunity to participate in the walk by an alternative mode of transportation.

Above left and right - feet on the move as the walk begins. Below left, Rev. Garretson and parishioners sit on the steps of our Church awaiting the arrival of run participants at about 1:00 p.m. Below right, parishioners prepare celebratory balloons in anticipation of the runners' arrival.

Above - Starosta Kornafel spies the runners as they come down Whitehead Avenue.

Above left and right - early arrivals are among the first to cross the finish line - the front gates of our Church. Below - a group photo of all participants on the front steps of our Church. The photo was taken moments before the start of the reception held in our Church Hall.

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Above left - everyone gathered in our Church Hall for a repast of pizza, ice cream cake, and munchies. Above right, V. Rev. David Vernak offers the blessing before the participants sat down to eat. Below left - eighteen pizzas of varied types. Below right - an ice cream cake was decorated specially for the occasion.

Below left - Starosta Kornafel cuts and distributes the ice cream cake. Below right - Race Founder Hank Dziemian (right) presents a participation award to a group representative of one of our sister parishes. Participation in the event grows with each passing year. Hopefully, additional parishes will be encouraged in future years to join the Orthodox fellowship witnessed to on this late spring day.

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Copyright © 2006, Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, South River, NJ