WPTLA - Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association

President's Challenge 5K Run/Walk/Wheel

 

On Saturday, April 22, 2006, the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association held its sixth annual President’s Challenge 5K Run/Walk/Wheel Race.  This event was originally the idea of former WPTLA President and current Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge, Beth A. Lazzara.  Since its inception, the goal of the President’s Challenge has been to give back to our community by donating the proceeds of the race to a worthy charity, as well as to attempt to bolster the public’s perception of trial lawyers throughout Western Pennsylvania.  As in past years, the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers, a local non-profit organization which supports programs for the physically challenged, was chosen as the recipient of the proceeds from the race.

 

 Pictured above: members of the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers

For the past five years, Jason Matzus has chaired this event and done an excellent job.  Under his tenure as the President’s Challenge Race Chair, Jason not only was responsible for organizing this event, he also helped to raise over $78,000.00 for the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers.  Although he decided to step down as Race Chair this year, Jason has continued to remain active with the planning and preparation of the race.

 

Pictured above clockwise from L to R:  The Honorable Beth A. Lazzara; Lucia Lazzara-Goodrich; Tim Riley, WPTLA President; Jason Matzus, WPTLA Secretary; Chris Miller, 5K Race Chair; Bob Eyler, Pittsburgh Steelwheelers Treasurer.

This was the first year that Chris Miller, of Edgar Snyder & Associates, chaired the President’s Challenge 5K Race.  Although the weather did not cooperate as it has in past years, there were over two hundred participants in this year’s event.  At the event, a raffle was held to help raise additional proceeds for the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers, and various door prizes were given away.  It was a fun and energetic morning for everyone who participated.

 

This year’s event raised $21,000.00, which was presented to the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers on the evening of the Judiciary Dinner on May 5, 2006.  The proceeds will be used by them to purchase equipment for their members, pay entrance fees for various competitions, cover travel expenses and be put towards their ongoing fundraising efforts to build a state-of-the-art training facility for athletes with disabilities.  Over the course of the past six years, WPTLA’s total contribution to the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers has reached $99,000.00. 

Pictured above from L to R:  Chris Miller, WPTLA Race Chair; Dan Barry, Pittsburgh Steelwheelers Board Member; Bob Eyler, Pittsburgh Steelwheelers Treasurer.

Chris Miller and the WPTLA would like to personally thank several people for helping to make this year’s event a success.  Without the assistance of Jason Matzus, Tom Will, Dave Zimmaro, Amy Kubisiak, Jim Moyles, Scott Bitar, George Kontos, Laurie Lacher, Maria Fischer and Bob and Lorraine Eyler, this year’s event would not have been nearly as successful as it was. Thank you to everyone who participated in the race, as well as the members of the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association who, as always, donated generously to this year’s event. 

Next year, the seventh annual WPTLA President’s Challenge Race will be held on April 14, 2007.  Please plan on attending next year’s event, and consider donating to this worthy cause.

 

1st Male Runner Doug Basinski 1st overall

17:35

2nd Male Runner Russell Giancola 2nd overall 17:38
3rd Male Runner
Jerry Maher
3rd overall
17:45
1st Female Runner Joanna Tunnicliffe 13th overall 23:13
2nd Female Runner Amy Sue Amadee 16th overall 23:45
3rd Female Runner
Shanin Hart
24th overall
25:40
1st Male Walker Brad Migitsch 65th overall 35:39
2nd Male Walker Matt Crofford 68th overall 38:04
3rd Male Walker
Reid Beck
76th overall
39:58
1st Female Walker Becky Sciallo 72nd overall 38:11
2nd Female Walker Jean Sciallo 73rd overall 38:14
3rd Female Walker
Amy Pederson
77th overall
39:59
1st Male Wheeler Bob Nock 21st overall 24:53
2nd Male Wheeler Lee Tempest 43rd overall 30:59
3rd Male Wheeler
Ian Rice
75th overall
39:15
1st Female Wheeler Rachel Cowan 98th overall 47:00
2nd Female Wheeler Ingrid Kanics 123rd overall 50:46
3rd Female Wheeler
 
 
 
1st Male WPTLA George Kontos 18th overall 24:14
2nd Male WPTLA Brian DelVecchio 20th overall 24:23
3rd Male WPTLA
Scott Bitar
26th overall
26:22
1st Female WPTLA Amy Kubisiak 95th overall 46:30
2nd Female WPTLA Sandra Neuman 110th overall 50:11
3rd Female WPTLA
Deborah Lowery
138th overall
55:45
1st Male 15 & Under Domenic Caputo 46th overall 31:36
2nd Male 15 & Under Michael Franciscus 53rd overall 32:16
3rd Male 15 & Under
Wyatt Pederson
78th overall
40:13
1st Female 15 & Under Gina Lamm 49th overall 32:11
2nd Female 15 & Under Theresa Lamm 50th overall 32:12
3rd Female 15 & Under Lucia Lazzara-Goodrich 60th overall 34:29

 

Register for the 2010 race now!

For more information about the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers, visit their website at www.steelwheelers.org.