Leona Harrington, organizer of the Bill Harrington Sr. Memorial, said about $10,000 was raised for pancreatic cancer research by the participants in the event, who paid $20 apiece.
“We had a fabulous day at the Bill Harrington Sr. Memorial,” said Leona Harrington, daughter of Bill Harrington Sr.
She said Officer Earl Barnes and Lt. Douglas Compton deserved special thanks, as did the members of the Long Valley and Califon First Aid Squads.
Dozens of volunteers helped out at the sign-up station in downtown Long Valley at the Somerset Hills bank parking lot. Others gave their morning to be available at rest stops along the way, offering water to thirsty participants, as well as rest stops in Califon and High Bridge.
Proceeds of the fundraiser will benefit the Subhash Gulati Advanced Research Foundation, in New Rochelle, N.Y., a leading research effort to finding causes and cures for pancreatic cancer.
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Mr. Harrington Sr. died from the disease five years ago after a lifetime of contributions to community causes in Long Valley.
His surviving family members came up with the idea of the tromp to honor him and to work toward a cure.
On Sunday, John Harrington and his wife, Joanne, were the volunteer workers at the Califon First Aid Squad rest stop, just a few hundred yards off the Columbia Trail on Bank Street.
John Harrington is the son of Mr. Harrington Sr.
“Leona always has me working for something,” John Harrington said. “But I’m glad to do it because Bill was my dad.”
The couple tied large bunches of purple balloons to show trail riders and walkers the way to the rest stop. Participants had the option to end the day at the rest stop, catching a bus back to the starting point in Long valley.
At the trail crossing on Middle Valley Road, Olivia and Jacob Fryer were bundled up against the early morning chill, manning a water stop from 7 a.m. until the last of the walkers passed shortly after noon.
A few bicycle riders said they were just taking a leisurely Sunday ride when they realized they were in the middle of the event.
Not all participants rode two-wheelers. Rich Hobbie rode a four-wheel QBX Quad Bike, as an advertisement for a family business.
A number of bike patrols cruised back and forth over sections of the trail offering any help needed by participants. Chris Jerry was one of the ride marshals covering the first leg of the trail.
He said one woman had needed some treatment after falling on the trail with her 4—year-old daughter. Volunteers for the Long Valley First Aid Squad bandaged her up at the squad location on the trail crossing of West Mill Road.
In Califon, Jeff Burke and Zach Waseleski were riding bike patrol for the Califon Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The mobile patrol was organized to provide help to the regular users of the trail and other parts of the small, Hunterdon County community.
Parking at the Toll Brothers’ Regency development off of Fairview Avenue was at a premium. A path connects the development directly with downtown Long Valley and the event starting point.
Participants each received a number, a T-shirt and other goodies for their part in the tromp. A light breakfast, including bagels, coffee, bananas, oranges and nutrition bars was given out free.
Harrington Sr. was one of many thousands of victims of pancreatic cancer. Although it is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in America, pancreatic cancer research receives only about 2.5 percent of the available funding.
In 2013, an estimated 36,800 will die from the disease, while less than 5,000 of those diagnosed in 2013 will survive after various forms of treatment.
The Harrington family said they hoped that the event would not only raise awareness of the disease and raise funds for research, but also serve as an inspiration to the families affected by the disease.
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