Hot chocolate and holiday cheer in Seaford

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Hundreds of runners and walkers hit the streets of Seaford on Dec. 3 for the annual Hot Chocolate Run. The Seaford Wellness Council, an organization that supports dozens of community projects, sponsors the holiday event.

Mike Di Silvio, the council’s president, said that the Hot Chocolate Run is one of the most popular 5K races on Long Island. The course is flat and has only four turns, he explained, making it is a good place for runners to set personal time records.

“I love seeing families come together and sharing a healthy experience,” he said. “Whether you are young, old or in between, it’s amazing to see how well everyone can run.”

The race always has two honorary starters; the council elects an honoree, and the other individual is always the chamber’s small businessperson of the year. Fred Roth was the 2016 community delegate; Dr. Sheldon Elfenbein was the chamber representative.  

Roth has been an active member of the Seaford Fire Department since 1948. During his 68-year tenure, he has served as chief of the department and as a long-term member of the Board of Fire Commissioners. 

Elfenbein has been a practicing physician in Seaford since 1963. According to the council, he has cared for four generations of some local families. 

“Our honorary co-starters are emblematic of what this Seaford event is all about — true caring for our community,” Coleen Graziose, the council’s secretary, explained.

The race started and ended at the high school. Awards were given to the top runners in several categories. 

Ryan Healy, of Syosset, was the overall winner in the men’s division with a time of 16:23.5. Lauren Jasiniski, of Cold Spring Harbor, took the title for the women’s division with a time of 18:38. 

Awards were also given to the fastest Seaford residents and runners in different age groups. Kelly Perno-Grosser and Joseph Miller earned the community medals. Una Broderick, of Wantagh, topped the Masters Division. 

Di Silvio, who has been the president of the council for more than a decade, said that the Hot Chocolate Run is “one of those events that makes Seaford special.” It is the organization’s primary fundraiser of the year, as leaders typically collect between $10,000 and $15,000.

The Wellness Council hosts activity nights for middle school students, maintains the gazebo and World War I Memorial by the Long Island Rail Road station, holds an annual cleanup at the Tackapausha Preserve and is one of the sponsors of the Seaford Public Library’s summer concert series.

“We always put the proceeds right back into the community for beautification purposes, educational research and community events, such as the senior harvest social,” Di Silvio explained. “Everyone gets to meet new people, have a good time and join in the fun with their Seaford neighbors.”