Craftys Crew at the Jersey Shore Relay to Support The Special Olympics

Crafty's Tiki Bar and Riggers Were Runnin From The Asbury Park Press: Special Olympics the winner as hundreds run in Shore Relay By Sarah Webster • April 20, 2008 "Meredith Sheppard, 29, of Manhattan ran with four friends, including Whitney Petrosky, 32, of Point Pleasant, as the "Crafty's" team." ASBURY PARK — Allison Eskenazi of Freehold ran in the 12th Annual Jersey Shore Relay Race to help someone she admires. "I did it for my neighbor Kevin," the 17-year-old said. "He has Down syndrome and we (her relay team, Kev's Crew) wanted to raise money for him, for Special Olympics." Sunny skies, temperatures in the mid 60s and southeast winds were the ideal combination for more than 400 teams that took part in the annual marathon relay, from Seaside Heights to Asbury Park, organized by the Jersey Shore Running Club to benefit Special Olympics. The race — exactly 26.2 miles — "is one of the 10 largest relays in the United States to run at a marathon distance," said Bob Both, the race director. Last year, the event drew about 340 teams and raised $55,000 for Special Olympics, Both said. The increased participation is largely the result of word of mouth, he said. Teams from as far away as California and Germany participate, and many come back, he said. Meredith Sheppard, 29, of Manhattan ran with four friends, including Whitney Petrosky, 32, of Point Pleasant, as the "Crafty's" team. Team members dressed in hula skirts, straw hats and leis. They said it was easier to get beach attire, and they were inspired by the Tiki bar in Petrosky's backyard. Matthew Petrosky, 31, Whitney's husband and a team sponsor, was proud of his wife. "She did great. She worked really hard, working (as a) mother and runner," he said. There were six different race start times this year. The first race kicked off around 7:45 a.m. near Jimbo's eatery and bar, the Aztec Motel on the Seaside Heights boardwalk. The first runners crossed the finish line around 11:30 a.m. near Convention Hall on the Asbury Park boardwalk. There were celebrations, food and live entertainment at Convention Hall. Runners posed for pictures with teams, family members and friends. They smiled, cheered, hugged and clapped. Parents strolled with their children, and people walked their pets. Ross's Dockside Restaurant in Sea Bright had cooked enough food to feed 2,500 people, said Bob Gileski, event food coordinator. The restaurant donated all the food, and volunteers from Elks lodges in Monmouth and Ocean County worked the food lines. More than 300 volunteers helped with the overall event, Both said. People ran for many reasons. Some said "the cause" was inspiring enough, and thinking about it while they ran was a way to keep motivated. Others said they were also motivated by teammates, family and friends. Motorists honked their horns to cheer the runners on. Running with "Kev's Crew" felt good, although it wasn't easy, Eskenazi said. The temperatures were a lot warmer during the start of the race, and hills and bridges made running the third leg harder, "but I stuck it out," she said. "I felt really accomplished. I didn't think I would be able to run at all. I didn't think I gave myself enough time to train," Eskenazi said. The crowd cheered loudly when Eskenazi's neighbor and inspiration, Kevin Donlon, 10, of Freehold, crossed the finish line.