Robbie's Run brings people together

The seventh annual Robbie’s Run was the biggest ever, attracting 1,700 runners between its three races last Sunday. That’s 200 more participants than ever before, said Jill Levine, founder of Forever Nine–The Robbie Levine Foundation, which sponsors the event.

Robbie’s Runs includes a 5K race/walk, one-mile mini-run and a kids’ fun run. About 1,200 runners took part in the 5k, making it one of the largest races of its kind on Long Island, said Levine.

The race, which began at Levy-Lakeside Elementary School in Merrick and wound through south Merrick streets, is organized each year by the Robbie Levine Foundation, a nonprofit organization started six years ago by Jill and Craig Levine in memory of their son, Robbie, who died suddenly on Sept. 27, 2005, when his heart stopped while he was running the bases during a Little League team practice.

In addition to celebrating Robbie’s life, the race raises money to purchase automated external defibrillators for youth athletic fields, as well as to fund CPR classes. This year, the race raised more than $40,000, said Levine.

The winners of this year’s 5k race were Sam Fox, a Bellmore Striders member, and Amy Bennett, of Brooklyn.