(Syracuse, NY – Sept. 2013) Clad in t-shirts emblazoned with a silhouetted runner holding up two victory fingers, three sisters will participate again in the walk/run they started in memory of their father, Jerry Barsha.
Sisters Amy, Cindy and Janice Barsha, will join their mother, Martha, in the 5k walk/run, “They Can’t Stop Me!” which will be held Sept. 28 at its new location at Onondaga Community College. Participants who raise $100 will receive a “They Can’t Stop Me!” baseball cap.
Proceeds from the charity will benefit the Jerry Barsha Memorial Scholarship at Onondaga County Community College where he worked for many years. Barsha died in September 2009 at age 83.
“We are very excited to see our campus as the host site of this important fundraising event,” said John Zacharek, vice president for development at Onondaga Community College. “Jerry Barsha dedicated his life to his students and to Onondaga County Community College, and we’re extremely grateful to the Barsha family for establishing the scholarship in his name. Through this great event, Jerry’s legacy will live on and generate essential scholarship funding for Onondaga students.”
Registrants can bring along their pooches to walk or run with them.
The race is a way for the Barsha sisters to honor their father and gather people together, something that brought great happiness to his life.
Debra, of Manhattan, will be walking in the event, along with her mother, Martha, of DeWitt, Jerry’s wife of 51 years.
Sisters Janice, of Boston; Cindy, of Miami, Fla; and Amy, of St. Johns, Ind., will participate in the run.
Gerald “Jerry” Barsha was born and raised in Brooklyn. He graduated from Syracuse University in 1948 with a dual degree in radio broadcasting and political science.
He spent 32 years reporting on Central New York radio and television, breaking many exclusive stories and conducting his share of news investigations.
He received accolades for his work, including the Syracuse Press Club’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990 and an award for 35 years as a teacher at Onondaga Community College.
After he retired, he still maintained a busy lifestyle, spending winters in Florida with his wife, Martha, even after he was diagnosed with cancer, which he beat twice.
“He refused to let it stand in the way of anything in his life,” Amy Barsha said.
Advanced runner/walker registration is $20 and $15 for OCC students. Registration is $25 the day of the race (still $15 for OCC students).
For more information or to register for the walk/run, visit www.theycantstopme.org.
Details:
The walk/run begins in the quad at Onondaga Community College, 484 West Seneca Turnpike. Parking is available. The race start time is 10 a.m. and 9:30 for the children’s walk/run.
On-line registration closes on Thursday Sept. 26, 2013 at 9 p.m. Registration on race day is from 8:30-9:45 a.m.