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Mount Desert Island based Crow Athletics and MDI Marathon race officials have announced that they will hold the Crow Athletics Hurricane Relief Run. The distance between Bar Harbor, Maine and New Orleans, Louisiana is 1,807.72 miles and the distance runners and walkers are hoping to cover beginning Saturday, September 10 immediately following the MDIHS varsity football game. The event will be held on the track beginning at approx. 4:30 PM and continue for the remainder of the day, through the night, and well into Sunday. Runners and walkers of all abilities are encouraged to show up and participate even if they might only cover one lap of the track. Participants are encouraged to solicit and bring donations from their individual communities, friends, and family members to help all those who have been so adversely affected by Hurricane Katrina.

This is not a competition but a show of support and a way to raise funds to help those that have lost so much while symbolically covering the distance between Mount Desert Island and the city of New Orleans. "In order to cover this vast distance and to raise a lot of money we need a lot of people to turn out," explained Gary Allen, organizer of this event. "We are hoping to get community groups, individuals, and clubs to help spread the word and to show up and support our worthwhile efforts."

In conjunction with the run, Chris Ward and volunteers of College of the Atlantic will be be accepting non-perishable food items and other supplies to be given to those in need. Items most desperately needed are:

• Bottled Water (the bigger the containers the better)
• Cleaning products like bleach, detergents, etc. Personal Hygine products like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc.
• Canned foods (the bigger the cans the better)
• Canned Potates, instant Potatoes, and rice!
• Diapers, baby food, forumla, etc.
• Over the counter medicines

Chris Ward will be working with the Tri Town Baptist Food Pantry and ICare Ministries to get the donated food and supplies delivered directly to the affected areas. They have already at least a half a dozen trailers and the rigs and drivers to drive the items to the central food distribution network hub that is located about 3 hours north of Biloxi; right in the heart of ground zero. The first full trailer left for delivery on tuesday, and the next is being filled as now. It will leave early this coming week.

Local business sponsors are encouraged to donate funds, and food and water to help keep the runners, walkers, and volunteers well fed. Volunteers should show up anytime of the day or night to help out. All food and monetary donations can be dropped of at the MDI High School track starting at 4:30 PM on Sat, Sept 10. or mail checks to: MDI Marathon/Hurricane Relief Run, Box 1032, Northeast Harbor, Maine, 04662. Checks should be made payable to: American Red Cross (please designate on the check's memo line:) '2005 Hurricane Relief Fund'

FOR ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS PLEASE E-MAIL: INFORMATION@MDIMARATHON.ORG