Florham Park Local 78 members sponsored and participated in the Cheshire Home’s first virtual 5K event during Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Awareness month.
This year’s event, which was open to all ages, celebrated Cheshire Home’s 40th anniversary and took place from Sept. 1 through 7.
Funds raised from Cheshire Home’s Virtual 5K will be used to support the services that help their residents rehabilitate and reach their objectives after experiencing paralyzing spinal cord injuries. The services that Cheshire Homes provides to their residents include on-site nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, social services, psychological services, transportation, a nutritionist, recreation and much more.
For Local 78 President Kevin Langereis, having his members participate in the event was a no-brainer.
“Our PBA, we always try to invest and give back to the community, and we have a very good relationship with all three Cheshire Homes in Florham Park,” said Langereis. “And so, for us it was a win-win situation. We helped raise awareness and supported a local group home within our community. I’ve been really emphasizing how important health is to my officers, so this was a great way to keep everyone active.”
Ultimately, for Local 78 the event was largely successful, and participation exceeded expectations.
“You know, at first I was thinking we might not get that many members to attend, some guys are working day shift, others are away,” said Langereis. “In the end though, we were able to gather close to 10 members together, which always helps build camaraderie. It’s a group effort. We ran as a team, we left no person behind, and I really think it helped some of the members push through and complete the run.”
