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Author: Marketing and Communications
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Making Strides – Summer 2025
Chautauqua Striders hosted its annual Golf Scramble this past weekend, uniting community members, local businesses, and supporters for a day of golf with a shared purpose: empowering youth.
Held at South Hills Country Club, the event raised more than $18,000 to directly benefit our academic, mentoring, social-emotional learning, and athletic programs for students K–12 across Chautauqua County. The scramble continues to serve as one of our most effective events for community engagement and fundraising.
Congratulations to this year’s winning teams:
- Mixed Division: Max Eimiller, Sarah Pillittieri, Kurt Eimiller, Kym Eimiller
- Men’s Division: David Allen, Eric Harvey, Chris Papallardo, John Rasmussen
While these teams stood out on the course, it was the collective commitment to youth development that truly defined the day. The generous contributions made through team registrations, sponsorships, and donations directly enhance our capacity to deliver high-impact, accessible services to students throughout the region.
A huge THANK YOU to every individual and organization that helped make this year’s scramble a success. We look forward to seeing you next year!
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St. Pat’s Recap
Chautauqua Striders extends a heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in the 2025 St. Pat’s Dash! Whether you ran, walked, volunteered, or cheered from the sidelines, your energy and enthusiasm made this event a huge success.
We’re excited to celebrate the athletes who led the pack with impressive performances:
Top 3 Male Finishers:
- Clevon Wofford
- Cody Kent
- Finnegan Fadale
Top 3 Female Finishers:
- London Hamilton
- Katie Zwald
- Belle Johnson
1st Overall Walker:
- Rodney Daum
Kudos to all the participants who gave it their all—whether you were chasing a personal best or simply enjoying the course. All race results can be found here.
The St. Pat’s Dash also marked the official kickoff of the 2025 Runner of the Year Series! The Runner of the Year Series calendar can be found on our website at www.chqstriders.org/athletics.
To earn points toward the series standings, you’ll need to have an active Striders Athletic Club membership. Not a member yet? Now’s the perfect time to join!
Membership Benefits Include:
- Complimentary Striders merchandise
- Eligibility to compete and win prizes in the Runner of the Year Series
- Discounts on all 13 races featured in this year’s series
The 2025 Runner of the Year Series is proudly sponsored by KeyBank and UPMC Chautauqua. A huge thank you to our incredible sponsors for making this event possible! Their support helps us continue providing meaningful programs, races, and events for our community.
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Making Strides – Spring 2025
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2025 Super Bowl Squares Pool #2
Download the pool here:
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2025 Mentor Dinner Recap
Chautauqua Striders recently hosted its annual Mentor Dinner, a heartwarming celebration of the vital role mentorship plays in empowering local youth. The event took place on January 23rd at The Chautauqua Harbor Hotel, bringing together mentors, community members, legislators, and an impressive lineup of distinguished speakers.
This year’s program featured inspiring remarks from respected leaders who shared their perspectives on the importance of mentorship and community involvement:
- John Kinder — Program Director of TheZone
- Senator George Borrello — New York State Senate, 57th District
- Kimberly Ecklund — City of Jamestown Mayor
- Elisabeth Rankin (on behalf of Andrew Molitor – New York State Assemblyman)
- Christine Rinaldi (on behalf of Congressman Nick Langworthy)
- Pierre Chagnon — Chautauqua County Legislator
- Sheriff Jim Quattrone — Chautauqua County Sheriff
- PJ Wendel — Chautauqua County Executive
Each speaker shared heartfelt stories and highlighted the positive impact of mentorship on academic success, personal growth, and self-confidence. Mentees Jasmarie Velasquez, Joshua Treacy, and Laura Arnold delivered a moving reading of the poem A Wealth of Wisdom. The dinner was further enriched by musical performances from students Levi Treacy and Rachel Hobbs.
Chautauqua Striders extended its deep gratitude to its generous funders, whose support makes these transformative programs possible: Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Holmberg Foundation, Jessie Smith Darrah Fund, The Lenna Foundation, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, and United Way of Southern Chautauqua County. They also thanked dinner sponsors Artone Furniture by Design and Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union, and Jordin Lynn Photography.
The organization also recognized its valued educational partners: Jamestown Public Schools, Southwestern Central Schools, Bemus Point Central Schools, Falconer Central Schools, and Frewsburg Central School District.
“Our mentors are an incredible group of volunteers who give freely of their time, talents and resources to guide, encourage and empower students to meet their full potential.” said Director of Mentoring, Erika Maberry. “They have such a big impact on local youth and our annual dinner is a nice way to give them some well-deserved recognition.”
The event served as a powerful reminder of the importance of investing in young people and the invaluable role mentors play in guiding them toward success.
For more information about Chautauqua Striders and its Mentoring program, or how you can become a mentor, contact Erika at (716) 489-3483 or erika@chqstriders.org.
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2025 Super Bowl Squares Pool #1
Download the pool here:
Are you ready for some football? 🏈 The biggest game of the year is just around the corner, and Chautauqua Striders is excited to kick off our Super Bowl Squares Fundraiser! This is your chance to add some excitement to game day while supporting a great cause.
Here’s How It Works:
- Purchase a Square: Each square costs $20.
- Win Big: If the score at the end of a quarter matches your square, you win!
- 1st Quarter Prize: $125
- 2nd Quarter Prize: $250
- 3rd Quarter Prize: $125
- Final Score Prize: $500
What is Super Bowl Squares? It’s a classic game of chance that makes the Super Bowl even more thrilling. Participants purchase squares on a grid. Once the grid is full, numbers are randomly assigned to each row and column, representing the last digit of the teams’ scores. Winners are determined based on the score at the end of each quarter. It’s easy to play and anyone can win!
Why Participate? Your participation helps Chautauqua Striders continue to provide mentorship, education, and advocacy programs for local youth. Every square you purchase contributes to empowering young people in our community to reach their full potential.
How to Get Involved:
- Reserve Your Squares: Squares can be purchased here or by contacting kait@chqstriders.org.
- Spread the Word: Share this fundraiser with your friends, family, and co-workers.
- Follow the Action: Once all squares are sold, we’ll share the grid so you can follow along during the big game.
Don’t Wait—Reserve Your Square Today! Squares are limited and always sell fast. Make sure to grab yours before they’re gone
Thank you for supporting Chautauqua Striders and helping us make a difference in the lives of local youth. Let’s make this Super Bowl fundraiser a touchdown for our community!
Are you interested in making a difference in a young person’s life? Join us at Crown Street Roasting on October 29th for Chautauqua Striders’ Mentor Recruitment Event!
This is your chance to meet current mentors, ask questions, and learn about the impactful work of our mentoring program. We’re also offering on-the-spot interviews for those ready to take the next step! Whether you’re a long-time supporter of youth development or just learning about mentorship, this event is the perfect way to get involved.
Morning Session (8-10 AM): Stop by for free coffee and conversation!
Evening Session (4:30-6 PM): Enjoy cider and donuts while connecting with our mentor community.
There’s no cost to attend, and we’ll be available to answer all your questions about becoming a mentor. We hope to see you there!
Event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/DQ5ZRgUYEjzQ7tHK/