Community Chest South Shore 5K in Atlantic Beach Aug. 28

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Community Chest South Shore will hold its 10th annual 5K Run & Family Walk on Sunday, Aug. 28 starting at the Sunny Atlantic Beach Club in Atlantic Beach.

In conjunction with the Village of Atlantic Beach, the Nassau County Auxiliary Police and Sunny Atlantic Beach Club, the Cedarhurst-based organization has helped to bring the community together for the last nine years to fundraise for organizations such as the Five Towns Community Center in Lawrence, the Five Towns Early Learning Center in Inwood, the Tempo Group Inc., which has an office in Woodmere, the Center for Adult Life Enrichment in Hewlett, and several more groups.

“It takes a village to put this (race) on,” Community Chest Vice President and Treasurer Steve Liebman said. Liebman emphasized that, though there are serious runners “who look toward this race to record their times,” the event is also for families who want to get involved and walk the Atlantic Beach boardwalk.

“Our mission is to support our community, our neighbors in need, and be able to provide this type of family-friendly entertainment in our local villages,” Community Chest President and race director Cal Nathan said. “We’ve been here for the community for 90 years and we hope to be here for the next 90.”

The race route is the same as the past nine years — starting in front of the New Nautilus Hotel at 2001 Ocean Blvd. and winding through residential streets Atlantic Beach’s West End, making its way up and back down Ocean Boulevard with the finish line at Sunny Atlantic Beach Club.

Liebman anticipates nearly 300 participants this year, with businesses such as Wonderama Auto in Valley Stream, Daniel Gale Realty in Long Beach, Sunny Atlantic Beach Club, Wall's Bakery in Hewlett, Trader Joe’s in Hewlett and Gotta Getta Bagel Of Woodmere, along with the Herald are supporters of the event.

“There was never a 5K in Atlantic Beach until we started the Community Chest 5K Run/Walk,” Nathan said, “and we thought it was just a beautiful village — including the boardwalk and you know, along the ocean on the sea — to have a run."