Sixth annual event sees best turnout yet for 5K, 10K and 15K races
(WATERTOWN, NY) – The Volunteer Transportation Center Foundation has announced the return of the Black River Trail Run raised approximately $4,000 to help provide transportation services for those in need in the North Country.
The event – a 5K/10K/15K race on the Black River Trail in Jefferson County – was hosted May 2 by Willow Running, an organization based in Central New York that hosts events across the state to raise money for various nonprofit organizations. The event saw more than 250 runners participate, the best year for the event’s participation.
“We were blown away by the amount of people who signed up for this year’s Black River Trail Run,” said Jeremiah S. Papineau, the VTC’s Director of Communications and Foundation Director. “We’re thankful once again to our friends at Willow Running for putting on another fantastic event. Race Director Mike Samoraj and his team provided another great running experience for participants and helped raise an amazing amount of money to help the Volunteer Transportation Center.”
“A great annual event got even better,” said Mr. Samoraj. “Thank you to our runners and also our amazing volunteers for making this year’s Black River Trail Run a record-breaking year.”
Since the event was first held in 2021, the Black River Trail Run has raised more than $21,000 to help the support the VTC in its mission to “provide transportation to health, wellness and critical needs destinations utilizing volunteers and mobility management for anyone who has barriers to transportation.”
“That number is staggering,” said Mr. Papineau. “Through this one event, we’ve been able to provide thousands of miles of transportation for those in need in our communities. It’s a huge impact and we cannot thank Willow Running enough.”
The top three finishers of the 5K portion of the event were Negalgne Somers of Greensboro, N.C., in first place with a time of 19:20; Kevin Abel of Liverpool in second place with a time of 19:49; and Sam Glick of Carthage in third place with a time of 20:00. The top three finishers of the 10K portion of the event were Kevin Collins of Baldwinsville in first place with a time of 39:08; Jason Rudd of Rodman in second place with a time of 39:36; and Steve Burke of Watertown in third place with a time of 39:45. The top three finishers of the 15K Combo for the event were Sam Glick of Carthage in first place with a time of 1:02:38; David Fallon of Watertown in second place with a time of 1:05:45; and Austin Pfisthner of Fort Drum in third place with a time of 1:07:59.
Complete results for this year’s Black River Trail Run may be found online through the Willow Running website, accessible at https://bit.ly/Black-River-Trail-Run, and clicking on the “Results” tab at the top of the page.
Sponsors for this year’s event included Northwestern Mutual – Steve Yelle; On the Water (Michael Hutcherson), Overhead Door Company of Watertown; Carthage Savings & Loan; Chimera Integrations; Knowlton Technologies; Rudd’s Town & Country; Samaritan Medical Center; Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7227; Watertown Internists; Watertown Savings Bank; Jefferson Concrete Corp.; Croghan Meat Market; and Gouverneur Savings & Loan Association. Additional support was provided by Garland City Beer Works and Fairfield by Marriott Watertown Thousand Islands.
ABOUT WILLOW RUNNING
Willow Running’s mission is to offer a high quality experience that goes beyond the actual race event. While unique courses, “off the beaten path” locations and runner safety are always a priority, we also offer top notch swag and super fun post-race festivities. It’s that signature blend of run and fun that aims to inspire participants to better health and greater fulfillment.
The next local event Willow Running will host will be the Summer Solstice 5K on Saturday, June 20, at Market Square Park in Sackets Harbor. More information about that event may be found online at https://bit.ly/Summer-Solstice-5K.
For more information, visit www.willowrunning.com.
ABOUT THE VOLUNTEER TRANSPORTATION CENTER
The Volunteer Transportation Center, Inc. (VTC), established in 1991, drives thousands of miles each year assisting community members in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties and beyond. Over the last 30 years, this essential non-profit organization has provided rides to health care appointments, food sources and other critical needs destinations for residents.
In 2025, volunteer drivers provided 25,533 charitable trips over 783,845 miles in Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties. Of those miles, 294,999 helped those in Jefferson County, 80,033 in Lewis County, and 408,813 in St. Lawrence County. That equated to approximately $391,923 in mileage reimbursement for our volunteers. That’s why the community’s help is so important.
The staff, boards of directors and volunteer drivers look forward to a time when transportation to community activities and services is accessible to all North Country residents regardless of economic or specialized needs. But for now the mission drives on — striving to provide transportation to health, wellness and critical needs destinations utilizing volunteers and mobility management for anyone who has barriers to transportation.
For more information about how you can help the Volunteer Transportation Center, about its upcoming events, or to become a volunteer driver, contact the agency in Jefferson and Lewis Counties at 315-788-0422, in St. Lawrence County at 315-714-2034, or Western New York at 585-250-5030. Volunteers drive their own cars, set their own hours and receive mileage reimbursement but, more importantly, make a difference in the community. To learn more, visit www.volunteertransportationcenter.org.