Grand Island celebrates milestones on Independence Day

Story and photos by Senior Contributing Writer Alice Gerard

Grand Island’s first Independence Day run was organized by Richard “Dick” Bessel to celebrate the bicentennial of the United States in 1976.

At the time, Bessel was a long-time track coach. According to a 2005 article in the Buffalo News, Bessel was the first boys’ track coach at Grand Island High School. He also started the girls’ track team. He has coached athletes at the Empire State Games, and he organized a summer track club.

This year, the race, titled the Dick Bessel Independence Day Run, celebrated its 50^th anniversary, as well as the semiquincentennial of the U.S.

Town Recreation Supervisor Joe Menter said there were 704 finishers in the adult run and more than 150 in the kids’ run.

“At 50 years, this is the third-longest consecutively run race in Western New York,” he said. “Again, we have generations of families taking part in this great run. And the Schmitz family heading up the Webb Road community to provide the water station and mid-race cooldown with music, just another great part of this tradition.”

A large group awaits the start of the kids’ run.

Dancers from the Grand Island Dance Center celebrate Independence Day.

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The 50^th anniversary of the run was “amazing,” Menter said. “Again, it was an honor to be able to recognize Dick with the Town Board proclamation a few weeks ago and to recognize the people who made the run what it is today: Dick Bessel and his family, Linda Tufillaro, Kristen Beauchamp and the honorary starters Art Pelletier and David Conboy.”

The parade that followed the race attracted approximately 4,000 spectators, Menter said.

“The parade participants give them a great show, from the law enforcement escort and the VFW and American Legion leading the parade, the Grand Island Fire Co. showing how strong (and important) their volunteer department is, to the pipe and drum bands and different music bands, to the twirlers and dancers, to the variety of floats,” he said. “It's nonstop entertainment. Speaking of entertainment: Our parade announcer, Eric Volk, always does a phenomenal job at the reviewing stand.

“To have Carson Hinkle play the national anthem was special. Carson is another product of the distinguished GICSD music department, and a valued recreation department employee.

“For me, the highlight (of the event) is always the good job my recreation staff does, along with the Grand Island Police Department and other law enforcement, parks department and highway department, to make sure the run and parade go smoothly and safely. Being able to organize this event that generations of Islanders and visitors from all over the country enjoy is an honor.”